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http://www.arcliive.org/details/20000leaguesunde00verniala 


20,000  LEAGUES  UNDER  THE  SEAS. 


By  JULES  VERNE. 


NEW  YORK: 
GEORGE  MUNRO'S  SONS,  PUBLISHERS, 

17  TO  27  VANDEWATER  STREET. 


20,000  Leapes  liler  tlie  Seas. 


PART  L 
CHAPTER  I. 

A    SHIFTING    REEF. 

The  year  1866  was  signalized  by  a  remarKable  incident, 
a  mysterious  and  inexplicable  phenomenon,  which  doubt- 
less no  one  has  yet  forgotten.  Not  to  mention  rumors 
which  agitated  the  maritime  population,  and  excited  the 
public  mind,  even  in  the  interior  of  continents,  seafaring 
men  were  particularly  excited.  Merchants,  common 
sailors,  captains  of  vessels,  skippers,  both  of  Europe  and 
America,  naval  oflBcers  of  all  countries,  and  the  govern- 
ments of  several  states  on  the  two  continents,  were  deeply 
interested  in  the  matter. 

For  some  time  past,  vessels  had  been  met  by  "an 
enormous  thing,"  a  long  object,  spindle-shaped,  occasion- 
ally phosphorescent,  and  infinitely  larger  and  more  rapid 
in  its  movements  than  a  whale. 

The  facts  relating  to  this  apparition  (entered  in  various 
log-books)  agreed  in  most  respects  as  to  the  shape  of  the 
object  or  creature  in  question,  the  untiring  rapidity  of  its 
movements,  its  surprising  power  of  locomotion,  and  the 
peculiar  life  with  which  it  seemed  endowed.  If  it  was  a 
cetacean,  it  surpassed  in  size  all  those  hitherto  classified 
in  science.  Taking  into  consideration  the  mean  of  obser- 
vations made  at  divers  times — rejecting  the  timid  estimate 
of  those  who  assigned  to  this  object  a  length  of  two  ban- 


4  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS. 

dred  feet,  equcilly  with  the  exaggerated  opinions  which  cet 
it  down  as  a  mile  in  width  and  three  in  length — we  might 
fairly  conclude  that  this  mysterious  being  surpassed  great- 
ly all  dimensions  admitted  by  the  .ichthyologists  of  the 
day,  if  it  existed  at  all.  And  that  it  did  exist  was  an  un- 
deniable fact;  and,  with  tliat  tendency  which  disposes  the 
human  mind  in  favor  of  the  marvelous,  we  can  understand 
the  excitement  produced  in  the  entire  world  by  this  super- 
natural apparition.  As  to  classing  it  iu  the  list  of  fables, 
the  idea  was  out  of  the  question. 

On  the  20th  of  July,  1866,  the  steamer  Governor  Hig- 
ginson,  of  the  Calcutta  and  Burnach  Steam  Navigation 
Company,  had  met  this  moving  mass  five  miles  off  the  east 
coast  of  Australia.  Captain  Baker  thought  at  first  that  he 
was  in  the  presence  of  an  unknown  sand- bank;  he  even 
prepared  to  determine  its  exact  position,  when  two  columns 
of  water,  projected  by  the  inexplicable  object,  shot  witli  a 
hissing  noise  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  up  into  the  air. 
Now,  unless  the  sand-bank  had  been  submitted  to  the  in- 
termittent eruption  of  a  geyser,  the  Governor  Higginson 
had  to  do  neither  more  nor  less  than  with  an  aquatic  mam- 
mal, unknown  till  then,  which  threw  up  from  its  blow- 
holes columns  of  water  mixed  with  air  and  vapor. 

Similar  facts  were  observed  on  the  23d  of  July  in  the 
same  year  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  by  the  Columbus,  of  the 
West  India  and  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company.  But 
this  extraordinary  cetaceous  creature  could  transport  itself 
from  one  place  to  another  with  surprising  velocity;  as,  in 
an  interval  of  three  days,  the  Governor  Higginson  and  the 
Columbus  had  observed  it  at  two  different  points  of  the 
chart,  separated  by  a  distance  of  more  than  seven  hundred 
nautical  leagues. 

Fifteen  days  later,  two  thousand  miles  further  off,  the 
Helvetia,  of  the  Compagnie-Nationale,  and  the  Shannon, 
of  the  Royal  Mail  Steamship  Company,  sailing  to  wind- 
ward in  that  portion  of  the  Atlantic  lying  between  the 
United  States  and  Europe,  respectively  signaled  the  mon- 
ster to  each  other  in  42°  15'  N.  lat.  and  60°  35'  W.  long. 
In  these  simultaneous  observations,  they  thought  them- 
selves justified  in  estimating  the  minimum  length  of  the 
mammal  at  more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  as  the 
Shannon  and  Helvetia  were  of  smaller  dimensions  than  it, 
though  they  measured  three  hundred  feet  over  all. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  5 

Now  the  largest  whales,  those  which  frequent  those 
parts  of  the  sea  around  the  Aleutian,  Kulammak,  and 
Umgullich  Islands,  have  never  exceeded  the  length  of  sixty 
yards,  if  they  attain  that. 

These  reports  arriving  one  after  the  other,  with  fresh 
observations  made  on  board  the  transatlantic  ship  Pereira, 
a  collision  which  occurred  between  the  Etna  of  the  Inraan 
Line  and  the  monster,  a  proces  verbal  directed  by  the 
oflBcers  of  the  French  frigate  Norinandie,  a  very  accurate 
survey  made  by  the  staff  of  Commodore  Fitz-James  on 
board  the  Lord  Clyde,  greatly  influenced  public  opinion. 
Light-thinking  people  jested  upon  the  phenomenon,  but 
grave  practical  countries,  such  as  England,  America,  and 
Germany,  treated  the  matter  more  seriously. 

In  every  place  of  great  resort  the  monster  was  the 
fashion.  They  sang  of  it  in  the  cafes,  ridiculed  it  in  the 
papers,  and  represented  it  on  the  stage.  All  kinds  of 
stories  were  circulated  regarding  it.  There  appeared  in 
the  papers  caricatures  of  every  gigantic  and  imaginary 
creature,  from  the  white  whale,  the  terrible  "Moby 
Dick  "  of  hyperborean  regions,  to  the  immense  kraken 
whose  tentacles  could  entangle  a  shipof  five  hundred  tons, 
and  hurry  it  into  the  abyss  of  the  ocean.  The  legends  of 
ancient  times  were  even  resuscitated,  and  the  opinions  of 
Aristotle  and  Pliny  revived,  who  admitted  the  existence  of 
these  monsters,  as  well  as  the  Norwegian  tales  of  Bishop 
Pontoppidan,  the  accounts  of  Paul  Heggede,  and,  last  of 
all,  the  reports  of  Mr.  Harrington  (whose  good  faith  no 
one  could  suspect),  who  affirmed  that,  being  on  board  the 
Castillan,  in  1857,  he  had  seen  this  enormous  serpent, 
which  had  never  until  that  time  frequented  any  other 
seas  but  those  of  the  ancient  "  Constitutionel." 

Then  burst  forth  the  interminable  controversy  between 
the  credulous  and  the  incredulous  in  the  societies  of 
savants  and  scientific  iournals.  *'The  question  of  the 
monster  "  inflamed  all  minds.  Editors.of  scientific  journals, 
quarreling  with  believers  in  the  supernatural,  spilled  seas 
of  ink  during  this  memorable  campaign,  some  even  draw- 
ing blood,  for,  from  the  sea-serpent,  they  came  to  direct 
personalities. 

For  six  months  war  was  waged  with  various  fortune  in 
the  leading  articles  of  the  Geogi*aphical  Institution  ot 
Brazil,  the  Royal  Academy  of  Science  of  Berlin,  the  British 


6  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

Association,  the  Smithsonian  Institution  of  Washington, 
in  the  discussions  of  the  "Indian  Archipelago,"  of  the 
Cosmos  of  the  Abbe  Moigno,  in  the  Mittheihingen  of 
Petermann,  in  the  scientific  chronicles  of  the  great  journals 
of  France  and  other  countries.  The  cheaper  journals 
replied  keenly  and  with  inexhaustible  zest.  These  satiri- 
cal writers  parodied  a  remark  of  Linnaeus,  quoted  by  the 
adversaries  of  the  monster,  maintaining  "  that  nature  did 
not  make  fools,"  and  adjured  their  contemporaries  not  to 
give  the  lie  to  nature,  by  admitting  the  existence  of 
krakens,  sea-serpents,  "Moby  Dicks,"  and  other  lucubra- 
tions of  delirious  sailors.  At  length  an  article  in  a  well- 
known  satirical  journal,  by  a  favorite  contributor,  the 
chief  of  the  staff,  settled  the  monster,  like  Hippolytus, 
giving  it  the  death-blow  amidst  a  universal  burst  of 
laughter.     Wit  had  conquered  science. 

During  the  first  mouths  of  the  year  1867,  the  question 
seemed  buried  never  to  revive,  when  new  facts  were 
brought  before  the  public.  It  was  then  no  longer  a 
scientific  problem  to  be  solved,  but  a  real  danger  seriously 
to  be  avoided.  The  question  took  quite  another  shape. 
The  monster  became  a  small  island,  a  rock,  a  reef,  but  a 
reef  of  indefinite  and  shifting  proportions. 

On  the  5th  of  March,  1867,  the  Moravian,  of  the  Mon- 
treal Ocean  Company,  finding  herself  during  the  night  in 
27°  30'  lat.  and  73°  15'  long.,  struck  on  her  starboard 
quarter  a  rock,  marked  in  no  chart  for  that  part  of  the 
sea.  Under  the  combined  efforts  of  the  wind  and  its  four 
hundred  horse-power,  it  was  going  at  the  rate  of  thirteen 
knots.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  superior  strength  of  the 
hull  of  the  Moravian,  she  would  liave  been  broken  by  the 
shock,  and  gone  down  with  the  237  passengers  she  was 
bringing  home  from  Canada. 

The  accident  happened  about  five  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, as  the  day  was  breaking.  The  officers  of  the  quarter- 
deck hurried  to  the  after-part  of  the  vessel.  Tliey  exam- 
ined the  sea  with  the  most  scrupulous  attention.  They 
saw  nothing  but  a  strong  eddy  about  three  cables'  length 
distant,  as  if  the  surface  had  been  Violently  agitated.  The 
bearings  of  the  place  were  taken  exactly,  and  the  Mora- 
vian continued  its  route  without  apparent  damage.  Had 
it  struck  on  a  submerged  rock,  or  on  an  enormous  wreck? 
Tliey  could  not  tell;  but  on  examination  of  the  ship's  bot- 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  7 

torn  when  undergoing   repairs,  it  was  found  that  part  a|^^ 
her  keel  was  broken.  tHI 

This  fact,  so  grave  in  itself,  might  perhaps  have  been 
forgotten  like  many  others,  if,  three  weeks  after,  it  had 
not  been  re-enacted  under  similar  circumstances.  But, 
thanks  to  the  nationality  of  the  victim  of  the  shock, 
thanks  to  the  reputation  of  the  company  to  which  the 
vessel  belonged,  the  circumstance  became  extensively  cir- 
culated. 

The  13th  of  April,  1867,  the  sea  being  beautiful,  the 
breeze  favorable,  the  Scotia,  of  the  Cunard  Company's  line, 
found  herself  in  15**  12'  long,  and  45*^  37'  lat.  She  was 
going  at  the  speed  of  thirteen  knots  and  a  half. 

At  seventeen  minutes  past  four  in  the  afternoon,  while 
the  passengers  were  assembled  at  lunch  in  the  great  saloon, 
a  slight  shock  was  felt  on  the  hull  of  the  Scotia,  on  her 
quarter,  a  little  aft  of  the  port  paddle. 

The  Scotia  had  not  struck,  but  she  had  been  struck, 
and  seemingly  by  something  rather  sharp  and  penetrating 
than  blunt.  The  shock  had  been  so  slight  that  no  one 
had  been  alarmed,  had  it  not  been  for  the  shouts  of  the 
carpenter's  watch,  who  rushed  on  to  the  bridge,  exclaim- 
ing, "We  are  sinking!  we  are  sinking!"  At  first  the 
passengers  were  much  frightened,  but  Captain  Anderson 
hastened  to  reassure  them.  The  danger  could  not  be 
imminent.  The  Scotia,  divided  into  seven  compartments 
by  strong  partitions,  could  brave  with  impunity  any  leak. 
Captain  Anderson  went  down  immediately  into  the  hold. 
He  found  that  the  sea  was  pouring  into  the  fifth  compart- 
ment; and  the  rapidity  of  the  influx  proved  that  the  force 
of  the  water  was  considerable.  Fortunately  this  compart- 
ment did  not  hold  the  boilers,  or  the  fires  would  have 
been  immediately  extinguished.  Captain  Anderson  ordered 
the  engines  to  be  stopped  at  once,  and  one  of  the  men 
went  down  to  ascertain  the  extent  of  the  injury.  Some 
minutes  afterward  they  discovered  the  existence  of  a 
large  hole,  of  two  yards  in  diameter,  in  the  ship's  bottom. 
Such  a  leak  could  not  be  stopped;  and  the  Scotia,  her 
paddles  half  submerged,  was  obliged  to  continue  her 
course.  She  was  then  three  hundred  miles  from  Cape 
Clear;  and  after  three  days'  delay,  which  caused  great 
uneasiness  in  Liverpool,  she  entered  the  basin  of  the  com- 
pany. 


8  20,000    LEAGUES      UNDER    THE  SEAS. 

The  engineers  visited  the  Scotia,  which  was  put  in  dry- 
dock.  They  could  scarcely  believe  it  possible;  at  two 
yurds  and  a  half  below  water-mark  was  a  regular  rent,  in 
the  form  of  an  isosceles  triangle.  The  broken  place  in 
tlie  iron  plates  was  so  perfectly  defined,  that  it  could  not 
lijive  been  more  neatly  done  by  a  punch.  It  was  clear, 
then,  that  the  instrument  producing  the  perforation  was 
not  of  a  common  stamp:  and  after  having  been  driven 
with  prodigious  strength,  and  piercing  an  iron  plate  1  3-8 
inches  thick,  had  withdrawn  itself  by  a  retrograde  motion 
truly  inexplicable. 

Such  was  the  last  fact,  which  resulted  in  exciting  once 
more  the  torrent  of  public  opinion.  From  this  moment, 
all  unlucky  casualties  which  could  not  be  otherwise  ac- 
counted for  were  put  down  to  the  monster. 

Upon  this  imaginary  creature  rested  the  responsibility 
of  all  these  shipwrecks,  which  unfortunately  were  con- 
siderable; for  of  three  thousand  ships  whose  loss  was 
annually  recorded  at  Lloyd's,  the  number  of  sailing  and 
steam  ships  supposed  to  be  totally  lost,  from  the  absence 
of  all  news,  amounted  to  not  less  than  two  hundred. 

Now,  it  was  the  ''  monster  "  who,  justly  or  unjustly, 
was  accused  of  their  disappearance,  and,  thanks  to  it, 
communication  between  the  different  continents  became 
more  and  more  dangerous.  The  public  demanded  per- 
emptorily that  the  seas  should  at  any  price  be  relieved 
from  this  formidable  cetacean. 


CHAPTER  II. 

PRO      AND      CON. 

At  the  period  when  these  events  took  place,  I  had  just 
returned  from  a  scientific  research  in  the  disagreeable  Ter- 
ri*;ory  of  Nebraska,  in  the  United  States.  In  virtue  of  my 
office  as  Assistant  Professor  in  the  Museum  of  Natural 
History  in  Paris,  the  French  government  had  attached  me 
to  that  expedition.  After  six  months  in  Nebraska,  I 
arrived  in  New  York  toward  the  end  of  March,  laden  with 
a  precious  collection.  My  departure  for  France  was  fixed 
for  the  first  days  in  May.  Meantime,  I  was  occupying  my- 
self in  classifying  my  mineralogical,  botanical,  and  zoolog' 
ical  riches,  when  the  accident  happened  to  the  Scotia. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEB    THE    SBAS.  S» 

I  was  perfectly  up  in  the  subject  which  wns  the  question 
of  the  day.  How  could  I  be  otherwise?  I  had  read  and 
re-read  all  the  American  and  European  papers  without  be- 
ing any  nearer  a  conclusion.  This  mystery  puzzled  me. 
Under  the  impossibility  of  forming  an  opinion,  I  jumped 
from  one  extreme  to  the  other.  That  there  really  was 
something  could  not  be  doubted,  and  the  incredulous  were 
invited  to  put  their  finger  on  the  wound  of  the  Scotia. 

On  my  arrival  in  New  York,  the  question  was  at  its 
height.  The  hypothesis  of  the  floating  island,  and  the 
unapproachable  sand-bank,  supported  by  minds  little  com- 
petent to  form  a  judgment,  was  abandoned.  And,  indeed, 
unless  this  shoal  had  a  machine  in  its  stomach,  how  could 
it  change  its  position  with  such  astonishing  rapidity? 
.  From  the  same  cause,  the  idea  of  a  floating  hull  of  an 
enormous  wreck  was  given  up. 

There  remained  then  only  two  possible  solutions  of  the 
question,  which  created  two  distinct  parties:  on  one  side, 
those  who  were  for  a  monster  of  colossal  strength;  on  the 
other,  those  who  were  for  a  submarine  vessel  of  enormous 
motive  power. 

But  this  last  hypothesis,  plausible  as  it  was,  could  not 
stand  against  inquiries  made  in  both  worlds.  That  a 
private  gentleman  should  have  such  a  machine  at  his  com- 
mand was  not  likely.  "Where,  when,  and  how  was  it  built? 
and  how  could  its  construction  have  been  kept  secret? 
Certainly  a  government  might  possess  such  a  destructive 
machine.  And  in  these  disastrous  times,  when  the  inge- 
nuity of  man  has  multiplied  the  power  of  weapons  of  war, 
it  was  possible  that,  without  the  knowledge  of  others,  a 
state  might  try  to  work  such  a  formidable  engine.  After 
the  chassepots  came  the  torpedoes,  after  the  torpedoes  the 
submarine  rams,  then — the  reaction.     At  least,  I  hope  so. 

But  the  hypothesis  of  a  war-machine  fell  before  the 
declaration  of  governments.  As  public  interest  was  in 
question,  and  transatlantic  communications  suffered,  their 
veracity  could  not  be  doubted.  But,  how  admit  that  the 
construction  of  this  submarine  boat  had  escaped  the  public 
eye?  For  a  private  gentleman  to  keep  the  secret  under 
such  circumstances  would  be  very  difficult,  and  for  a  state 
whose  every  act  is  persistently  watched  by  powerful  rivals, 
certainly  impossible. 

After  inquiries  made  in  England,  France,  Eussia,  Prus* 


10  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEE    THE    SEAS. 

gia,  Spain,  Italy,  and  America,  even  in  Turkey,  the  hy- 
pothesis of  a  submarine  monitor  was  definitely  rejected. 

Upon  my  arrival  in  New  York  several  persons  did  me 
the  honor  of  consulting  me  on  the  phenomenon  in  ques- 
tion. I  had  published  in  France  a  work  in  quarto,  in  two 
volumes,  entitled,  "Mysteries  of  the  Great  Submarine 
Grounds."  This  book,  highly  approved  of  in  the  learned 
world,  gained  for  me  a  special  reputation  in  this  rather 
obscure  branch  of  Natural  History.  My  advice  was  asked. 
As  long  as  I  could  deny  the  reality  of  the  fact,  I  confined 
myself  to  a  decided  nagative.  But  soon  finding  myself 
driven  into  a  corner,  I  was  obliged  to  explain  myself  cate- 
gorically. And  even  **  the  Honorable  Pierre  Aronnax, 
Professor  in  the  Museum  of  Paris,"  was  called  upon  by 
the  New  York  Herald  to  express  a  definite  opinion  of 
some  sort.  I  did  something.  I  spoke  from  want  of  power 
to  hold  my  tongue.  I  discussed  the  question  in  all  its 
forms,  politically  and  scientifically;  and  I  give  here  an 
extract  from  a  carefully  studied  article  which  I  published 
in  the  number  of  the  30th  of  April.     It  ran  as  follows: 

"  After  examining  one  by  one  the  different  hypotheses, 
rejecting  all  other  suggestions,  it  becomes  necessary  to  ad- 
mit the  existence  of  a  marine  animal  of  enormous  power. 

*'  The  great  depths  of  the  ocean  are  entirely  unknown 
to  us.  Soundings  cannot  reach  them.  What  passes  in 
those  remote  depths — what  beings  live,  or  can  live,  twelve 
or  fifteen  miles  beneath  the  surface  of  the  waters — what 
is  the  organization  of  these  animals — we  can  scarcely  con- 
jecture. However,  the  solution  of  the  problem  submitted 
to  me  may  modify  the  form  of  the  dilemma.  Either  we 
do  know  all  the  varieties  of  beings  which  people  our  planet, 
or  we  do  not.  If  we  do  not  know  them  all,  if  Nature  has 
still  secrets  in  ichthyology  for  us,  nothing  is  more  con- 
formable to  reason  than  to  admit  the  existence  of  fishes, 
or  cetaceans  of  other  kinds,  or  even  of  new  species,  of  an 
organization  formed  to  inhabit  the  strata  inaccessible  to 
soundings,  and  which  an  accident  of  some  sort,  either 
fantastical  or  capricious,  has  brought  at  long  intervals  to 
the  upper  level  of  the  ocean. 

"If,  on  the  contrary,  we  do  know  all  living  kinds,  we 
must  necessarily  seek  for  the  animal  in  question  among 
those  marine  beings  already  classed;  and,  in  that  case,  I 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  11 

ghould  be  disposed  to  admit  the  existence  of  a  gigantic 
narwhal. 

''The  common  narwhal,  or  unicorn  of  the  sea,  often 
attains  a  length  of  sixty  feet.  Increase  its  size  fivefold  or 
tenfold,  give  it  strength  proportionate  to  its  size,  lengthen 
its  destructive  weapons,  and  you  obtain  the  animal  re- 
quired. It  will  have  the  proportions  determined  by  the 
officers  of  the  Shannon,  the  instrument  required  by  the 
perforation  of  the  Scotia,  and  the  power  necessary  to 
pierce  the  hull  of  the  steamer. 

"Indeed  the  narwhal  is  armed  with  a  sort  of  ivory 
sword,  a  halberd,  according  to  the  expression  of  certain 
naturalists.  The  principal  tusk  has  the  hardness  of  steel. 
Some  of  these  tusks  have  been  found  buried  in  the  bodies 
of  whales,  which  the  unicorn  always  attacks  with  success. 
Others  have  been  drawn  out  not  without  trouble,  from 
the  bottoms  of  ships,  which  they  had  pierced  through  and 
through,  as  a  gimlet  pierces  a  barrel.  The  Museum  of  the 
Faculty  of  Medicine  of  Paris  possesses  one  of  these  defen- 
sive weapons,  two  yards  and  a  quarter  in  length,  and 
fifteen  inches  in  diameter  at  the  base. 

"Very  well!  suppose  this  weapon  to  be  six  times  stronger, 
and  the  animal  ten  times  more  powerful;  launch  it  at  the 
rate  of  twenty  miles  an  hour,  and  you  obtain  a  shock 
capable  of  producing  the  catastrophe  required.  Until 
further  information,  therefore,  I  shall  maintain  it  to  be  a 
sea-unicorn  of  colossal  dimensions,  armed,  not  with  a 
halberd,  but  with  a  real  spur,  as  the  armored  frigates,  or 
the  "  rams  "  of  war,  whose  massiveness  and  motive  power 
it  would  possess  at  the  same  time.  Thus  may  this  in- 
explicable phenomenon  be  explained,  unless  there  be 
something  over  and  above  all  that  one  has  ever  conjectured, 
seen,  perceived  or  experienced;  which  is  just  within  the 
bounds  of  possibility." 

These  last  words  were  cowardly  on  my  part;  but,  up  to 
a  certain  point,  I  wished  to  shelter  my  dignity  as  Professor, 
and  not  give  too  much  cause  for  laughter  to  the  Americans, 
who  laugh  well  when  they  do  laugh.  I  reserved  for  my- 
self a  way  of  escape.  In  effect,  however,  I  admitted  tho 
existence  of  the  "  monster."  My  article  was  warmly  dis- 
cussed, which  procured  it  a  high  reputation.  It  rallied 
around  it  a  certain  number  of  partisans.     The  solution  it 


12  20,000    LEAGUES    UXDER    THE    SEAS. 

proposed  gave,  at  least,  full  liberty  to  the  imagination. 
The  human  mind  delights  in  grand  conceptions  of  super- 
natural beings.  And  the  sea  is  precisdy  their  best 
vehicle,  the  only  medium  through  which  these  giants 
(ivgainst  which  terrestrial  animals,  such  as  elephants  or 
rhinoceroses,  areas  nothing)  can  be  produced  or  developed. 

The  industrial  and  commercial  papers  treated  the  ques- 
tion chiefly  from  this  point  of  view.  The  Shipping  and 
Mtrcajitile  Gazette,  the  Lloyds^  List,  the  Pachet-Boai,  and 
the  Maritime  and  Colonial  Review,  all  papers  devoted  to 
insurance  companies  which  threatened  to  raise  their  rates 
of  premium,  were  unanimous  on  this  point.  Public  opin- 
ion had  been  pronounced.  The  United  States  were  the 
first  in  the  field;  and  in  New  York  they  made  prepara- 
tions for  an  expedition  destined  to  pursue  this  narwhal. 
A  frigate  of  great  speed,  the  Abraham  Lincoln,  was  put 
in  commission  as  soon  as  possible.  The  arsenals  were 
opened  to  Commander  Farragut,  who  hastened  the  arming 
of  his  frigate;  but,  as  ic  always  happens,  tlie  moment  it 
was  decided  to  pursue  the  monster,  the  monster  did  not 
appear.  For  two  months  no  one  heard  it  spoken  of.  No 
ships  met  with  it.  It  seemed  as  if  this  unicorn  knew  of 
the  plots  weaving  around  it.  It  had  been  so  much  talked 
of,  even  through  the  Atlantic  cable,  that  jesters  pretended 
that  this  slender  fly  had  stopped  a  telegram  on  its  pas- 
sage, and  was  making  the  most  of  it. 

So  when  the  frigate  had  been  armed  for  a  long  cam- 
paign, and  provided  with  formidable  fishing  apparatus, 
no  one  could  tell  what  course  to  pursue.  Impatience 
grew  apace,  when,  on  the  2d  of  June,  they  learned  that  a 
steamer  of  the  line  of  San  Francisco,  from  California  to 
Shanghai,  had  seen  the  animal  three  weeks  before  in  the 
North  Pacific  "Ocean.  The  excitement  caused  by  this 
news  was  extreme.  The  ship  was  revictualed  and  well 
stocked  with  coal. 

Tliree  hours  before  the  Abraham  Lincoln  left  Brooklyn 
V)ier,  I  received  a  letter  worded  as  follows: 

"To  M.  Aronnax,  Professor  in  the  Museum  of  Paris, 
'■'  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  New  York, 

"Sir, — If  you  will  consent  to  join  the  Abraham  Lin- 
coln in  this  expedition,  the  government  of  the  United 
States  will  with  pleasure  see  France  represented  in  the 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  13 

enterprise.     Commander  Farragut  has  a  cabin  at  your  dis- 
posal.    Very  cordially  yours, 

"J.  B.  HoBSON,  Secretary  of  Marine.'^ 


CHAPTER  III. 

I  FORM  MY  RESOLUTION. 

Three  seconds  before  the  arrival  of  J.  B.  Hobson's 
letter,  I  no  more  thought  of  pursuing  the  unicorn  than 
of  attempting  the  passage  of  the  North  Sea.  Three 
seconds  after  reading  the  letter  of  the  Honorable  Sec- 
retary of  Marine,  I  felt  that  my  true  vocation,  the  sole 
end  of  my  life,  was  to  chase  this  disturbing  monster,  and 
purge  it  from  the  world. 

But  I  had  just  returned  from  a  fatiguing  journey,  weary, 
and  longing  for  repose.  I  aspired  to  nothing  more  than 
again  seeing  my  country,  my  friends,  my  little  lodging  by 
the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  my  dear  and  precious  collections. 
But  nothing  could  keep  me  back!  I  forgot  all — fatigue, 
friends,  and  collections — and  accepted  without  hesitation 
the  offer  of  the  American  government. 

''Besides,"  thought  I,  "all  roads  lead  back  to  Europe: 
and  the  unicorn  may  be  amiable  enough  to  hurry  me  to- 
ward the  coast  of  France.  This  worthy  animal  may  allow 
itself  to  be  caught  in  the  seas  of  Europe  (for  my  partic- 
ular benefit),  and  I  will  not  bring  back  less  than  half  a 
yard  of  his  ivory  halberd  to  the  Museum  of  Natural  His- 
tory." But  ivf  the  meanwhile  I  must  seek  this  narwhal 
in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean,  which,  to  return  to  France, 
was  taking  the  road  to  the  antipodes. 

"  Conseil,"  I  called  in  an  impatient  voice. 

Conseil  was  my  servant,  a  true,  devoted  Flemish  boy, 
who  had  accompanied  me  in  all  my  travels.  I  liked  him, 
and  he  returned  the  liking  well.  He  was  phlegmatic  by 
nature,  regular  from  principle,  zealous  from  habit,  evinc- 
ing little  disturbance  at  the  different  surprises  of  life, 
very  quick  with  his  hands,  and  apt  at  any  service  required 
of  him;  and,  despite  his  name,  never  giving  advice — even 
when  asked  for  it. 

Conseil  had  followed  me  for  the  last  ten  years  wherever 
science  led.  Never  once  did  he  complain  of  the  length 
or  fatigue  of  a  journey,  never  make  an  objection  to  pack 


14  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEB    THE    SEAS» 

his  portmanteau  for  whatever  country  it  might  be,  or 
however  far  away,  whether  China  or  Congo.  Besides  all 
this,  he  had  good  health,  which  defied  all  sickness,  and 
solid  muscles,  but  no  nerves;  good  morals  are  understood. 
This  boy  was  thirty  years  old,  and  his  age  to  that  of  his 
master  as  fifteen  to  twenty.  May  I  be  excused  for  saying 
that  I  was  forty  years  old? 

But  Conseil  had  one  fault,  he  was  ceremonious  to  a 
degree,  and  would  never  speak  to  me  but  in  the  third 
person,  which  was  sometimes  provoking. 

"  Conseil,"  said  I  again,  beginning  with  feverish  hands 
to  make  preparations  for  my  departure. 

Certainly  I  was  sure  of  this  devoted  boy.  As  a  rule,  I 
never  asked  him  if  it  were  convenient  for  him  or  not  to 
follow  me  in  my  travels;  but  this  time  the  expedition  in 
question  might  be  prolonged,  and  the  enterprise  might  be 
hazardous  in  pursuit  of  an  animal  capable  of  sinking  a 
frigate  as  easily  as  a  nutshell.  Here  there  was  matter  for 
reflection  even  to  the  most  impassive  man  in  the  world. 
What  would  Conseil  say? 

**  Conseil,"  I  called  a  third  time. 

Conseil  appeared. 

"Did  you  call,  sir?"  said  he,  entering. 

*'  Yes,  my  boj;  make  preparations  for  me  and  yourself 
too.     We  leave  in  two  hours." 

*' As  you  please,  sir,"  replied  Conseil,  quietly. 

'*  Not  an  instant  to  lose;  lock  in  my  trunk  all  traveling 
utensils,  coats,  shirts,  and  stockings — without  counting — 
as  many  as  you  can,  and  make  haste." 

**And  your  collections,  sir,"  observed  Conseil." 

"  We  will  think  of  them  by  and  by." 

"  What,  the  archiotherium,  the  hyracotherium,  the 
oreodons,  the  cheropotamus,  and  the  other  skins?" 

"  They  will  keep  them  at  the  hotel." 

**  And  your  live  Babiroussa,  sir?" 

"  They  will  feed  it  during  our  absence,  besides,  I  will 
give  orders  to  forward  our  menagerie  to  France." 

"  We  are  not  returning  to  Paris,  then?"  said  Conseil. 

"  Oh,  certainly,"  I  answered,  evasively,  *'  by  making  a 
curve." 

"  Will  the  curve  please  you,  sir?" 

**  Oh!  it  will  be  nothing;  not  quite  so  direct  a  road,  that 
is  all.     We  take  passage  in  the  Abraham  Lincoln," 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS,  15 

*'  As  you  think  proper,  sir,"  coolly  replied  Couseil. 

*'  You  see,  my  friend,  it  has  to  do  with  the  monster — 
the  famous  narwhal.  We  are  going  to  purge  it  from  the 
seas.  The  author  of  a  work  in  quarto,  in  two  volumes,  on 
the  '  Mysteries  of  the  Great  Submarine  Grounds,'  cannot 
forbear  embarking  with  Commander  Farragut.  A  glorious 
mission,  but  a  dangerous  one!  We  cannot  tell  where  we 
may  go;  these  animals  can  be  very  capricious.  But  we  will 
go  whether  or  no;  we  have  got  a  captain  who  is  pretty 
wide  awake." 

I  opened  a  credit  account  for  Babiroussa,  and,  Conseil 
following,  I  jumped  into  a  cab.  Our  luggage  was  trans- 
ported to  the  deck  of  the  frigate  immediately.  I  hastened 
on  board  and  asked  for  Commander  Farragut.  One  of  the 
sailors  conducted  me  to  the  poop,  where  I  found  myself 
in  the  presence  of  a  good-looking  officer,  who  held  out  his 
hand  to  me. 

"  Monsieur  Pierre  Aronnax?"  said  he. 

"Himself,"  replied  I;  '*  Commander  Farragut?" 

"You  are  welcome.  Professor;  your  cabin  is  ready  for 
you." 

I  bowed,  and  desired  to  be  conducted  to  the  cabin  des- 
tined for  me. 

The  Abraham  Lincoln  had  been  chosen  and  equipped 
for  her  new  destination.  She  was  a  frigate  of  great  spee<3 ; 
fitted  with  high-pressure  engines  which  admitted  a  press- 
ure of  seven  atmospheres.  Under  this  the  Abraham 
Lincoln  attained  the  mean  speed  of  nearly  eighteen  knots 
and  a  third  an  hour — a  considerable  speed,  but,  neverthe- 
less, insufficient  to  grapple  with  this  gigantic  cetacean. 

The  interior  arrangements  of  the  frigate  corresponded  to 
its  nautical  qualities.  I  was  well  satisfied  with  my  cabin, 
which  was  in  the  after- part,  opening  upon  the  gun-room. 

"  We  shall  be  well  off  here,"  said  I  to  Conseil. 

**  As  well,  by  your  honor's  leave,  as  a  hermit-crab  in  the 
shell  of  a  whelk,"  said  Conseil. 

I  left  Conseil  to  stow  our  trunks  conveniently  away,  and 
remounted  the  poop  in  order  to  survey  the  preparations 
for  departure.  At  that  moment  Commander  Farragut  was 
ordering  the  last  moorings  to  be  cast  loose  which  held  the 
Abraham  Lincoln  to  the  pier  of  Brooklyn.  So  in  a  quarter 
of  an  hour,  perhaps  less,  the  frigate  would  have  sailed 
without  me.     I  should  have  missed  this  extraordinary, 


16  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

sn]iernatural,  and  incredible  expedition,  the  recital  of 
wiiicb  may  well  meet  with  some  skepticism. 

But  Commander  Farragut  would  not  lose  a  day  nor  an 
hour  in  scouring  the  seas  in  which  the  animal  had  been 
sighted.     He  sent  for  tlie  engineer. 

"  Is  the  steam  full  on?"  asked  he.  "  Yes,  sir,"  replied 
the  engineer.     "  Go  ahead,"  cried  Commander  Farragut. 

The  quay  of  Brooklyn,  and  all  that  part  of  New  York 
bordering  on  the  East  River,  was  crowded  with  spectators. 
Three  cheers  burst  successively  from  five  hundred  thou- 
sand throats;  thousands  of  handkerchiefs  were  waved  above 
the  heads  of  the  compact  mass,  saluting  the  Abraham  Lin- 
coln, until  she  reached  the  waters  of  the  Hudson,  at  the 
point  of  that  elongated  peninsula  which  forms  the  town  of 
New  York.  Then  the  frigate,  following  the  coast  of  New 
Jersey  along  the  right  bank  of  the  beautiful  river,  covered 
with  villas^  passed  between  the  forts,  which  saluted  her 
with  their  heaviest  guns.  The  Abraham  Lincoln  answered 
by  hoisting  the  American  colors  three  times,  whose  thirty- 
nine  stars  shone  resplendent  from  the  mizzen-peak;  then 
modifying  its  speed  to  take  the  narrow  channel  marked  by 
buoys  placed  in  the  inner  bay  formed  by  Sandy  Hook 
point,  it  coasted  the  long  sandy  beach,  where  some  thou- 
sands of  spectators  gave  it  one  final  cheer.  The  escort  of 
boats  and  tenders  still  followed  the  frigate,  and  did  not 
leave  her  until  they  came  abreast  of  the  light-ship,  whose 
two  lights  marked  the  entrance  of  New  York  Channel. 

Six  bells  struck,  the  pilot  got  into  his  boat,  and  re- 
joined the  little  schooner  which  was  waiting  under  our  lee, 
the  fires  were  made  up,  the  screw  beat  the  waves  more 
rapidly,  the  frigate  skirted  the  low  yellow  coast  of  Long 
Island;  and  at  eight  bells,  after  having  lost  sight  in  the 
northwest  of  the  lights  of  Fire  Island,  she  ran  at  full 
steam  on  to  the  dark  waters  of  the  Atlantic. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

KED   LAND. 

Captain  Farragut  was  a  good  seaman,  worthy  of  the 
frigate  he  commanded.  His  vessel  and  he  were  one.  He 
was  the  soul  of  it.  On  the  question  of  the  cetacean  there 
was  no  doubt  in  his  mind,  and  he  would  not  allow  the  ex- 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  17 

istence  of  the  animal  to  be  disputed  on  board.  He  believed 
in  it  as  certain  good  women  believed  in  the  leviathan — by 
faith,  not  by  reason.  The  monster  did  exist,  and  he  liad 
sworn  to  rid  the  seas  of  it.  He  was  a  kind  of  Knight  of 
Rhodes,  a  second  Dieudonne  de  Gozon,  going  to  meet  the 
serpent  which  desolated  the  island.  Either  Captain  Far- 
ragut  would  kill  the  narwhal,  or  the  narwhal  would  kill 
the  captain.     There  was  no  third  course. 

The  officers  on  board  shared  the  opinion  of  their  chief. 
They  were  ever  chatting,  discussing,  and  calculating  the 
various  chances  of  a  meeting,  watching  narrowly  the  vast 
surface  of  the  ocean.  More  than  one  took  up  his  quarters 
voluntarily  in  the  cross-trees,  who  would  have  cursed  such 
a  berth  under  any  other  circumstances.  As  long  as  the 
sun  described  its  daily  course,  the  rigging  was  crowded 
with  sailors,  whose  feet  were  burnt  to  such  an  extent  by 
the  heat  of  the  deck  as  to  render  it  unbearable;  still  the 
Abraham  Lincoln  had  not  yet  breasted  the  suspected 
waters  of  the  Pacific.  As  to  the  ship's  company,  they  de- 
sired nothing  better  than  to  meet  the  unicorn,  to  harpoon 
it,  hoist  it  on  board,  and  dispatch  it.  They  watched  the 
sea  with  eager  attention. 

Besides,  Captain  Farragut  had  heard  of  a  certain  sum 
of  two  thousand  dollars,  set  apart  for  whoever  should  first 
sight  the  monster,  were  he  cabin-boy,  common  seaman,  or 
officer. 

I  leave  you  to  judge  how  eyes  were  used  on  board  the 
A-braham  Lincoln. 

For  my  own  part,  I  was  not  behind  the  others,  and  left 
to  no  one  my  share  of  daily  observation.  The  frigate 
might  have  been  called  the  Argus,  for  a  hundred  reasons. 
Only  one  amongst  us,  Conseil,  seemed  to  protest  by  his 
indifference  against  the  question  which  so  interested  us 
all,  and  seemed  to  be  out  of  keeping  with  the  general  en- 
thusiasm on  board. 

I  have  said  that  Captain  Farragut  had  carefully  pro- 
vided his  ship  with  every  apparatus  for  catching  the  gigan- 
tic cetacean.  No  whaler  had  ever  been  better  armed. 
We  possessed  every  known  engine,  from  the  harpoon 
thrown  by  the  hand  to  the  barbed  arrows  of  the  blunder- 
buss, and  the  explosive  balls  of  the  duck-gun.  On  the 
forecastle  lay  the  perfection  of  a  breech-loading  gun,  very 
thick  at  the  breech,  and  very  narrow  in  the  bore,  th© 


18  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SBA8. 

model  of  which  had  been  in  the  Exhibition  of  1867.  This 
precious  weapon  of  American  origin  could  throw  with  ease 
a  conical  projectile  of  nine  pounds  to  a  mean  distance  of 
ten  miles. 

Thus  the  Abraham  Lincoln  wanted  for  no  means  of 
destruction;  and,  what  ,was  better  still,  she  had  on  board 
Ned  Land,  the  prince  of  harpooners. 

Ned  Land  was  a  Canadian,  with  an  uncommon  quick- 
ness of  hand,  and  who  knew  no  equal  in  his  dangerous 
occupation.  Skill,  coolness,  audacity,  and  cunning  he 
possessed  in  a  superior  degree,  and  it  must  be  a  cunning 
whale  or  a  singularly ''  cute  "  cachalot  to  escape  the  stroke 
of  his  harpoon. 

Ned  Land  was  about  forty  years  of  age;  he  was  a  tall 
man  (more  than  six  feet  high),  strongly  built,  grave  and 
taciturn,  occasionally  violent,  and  very  passionate  when 
contradicted.  His  person  attracted  attention,  but  above 
all  the  boldness  of  his  look,  which  gave  a  singular  expres- 
sion to  his  face. 

Who  calls  himself  Canadian  calls  himself  French;  and 
little  communicative  as  Ned  Land  was,  I  must  admit  that 
he  took  a  certain  liking  for  me.  My  nationality  drew  him 
to  me,  no  doubt.  It  was  an  opportunity  for  him  to  talk, 
and  for  me  to  hear,  that  odd  language  of  Rabelais,  which 
is  still  in  use  in  some  Canadian  provinces.  The  harpoon- 
er's  family  was  originally  from  Quebec,  and  was  already  a 
tribe  of  hardy  fishermen  when  this  town  belonged  to 
France. 

Little  by  little  Ned  Land  acquired  a  taste  for  chatting,- 
and  I  loved  to  hear  the  recital  of  his  adventures  in  the 
polar  seas.  He  related  his  fishing,  and  his  combats,  with 
natural  poetry  of  expression;  his  recital  took  the  form  of 
an  epic  poem,  and  I  seemed  to  be  listening  to  a  Canadian 
Homer  singing  the  Iliad  of  the  regions  of  the  North. 

I  am  portraying  this  hardy  companion  as  I  really  knew 
him.  We  are  old  friends  now,  united  in  that  unchange- 
able friendship  which  is  born  and  cemented  amidst  ex- 
treme dangers.  Ah,  brave  Ned!  I  ask  no  more  than  to 
live  a  hundred  years  longer  that  I  may  have  more  time  to 
dwell  the  longer  on  your  memory. 

Now,  what  was  Ned  Land's  opinion  upon  the  question 
of  the  marine  monster?  I  must  admit  that  he  did  not 
believe  in  the  unicorn,  and  was  the  only  one  on  board  who 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS.  19 

did  not  share  that  universal  conviction.  He  even  avoided 
the  subject,  which  I  one  day  thought  it  my  duty  to  press 
upon  him.  One  magnificent  evening,  the  25th  June — 
that  is  to  say,  three  weeks  after  our  departure — the  frigate 
was  abreast  of  Cape  Blanc,  thirty  miles  to  leeward  of  the 
coast  of  Patagonia.  We  had  crossed  the  Tropic  of  Capri  - 
corn,  and  the  Straits  of  Magellan  opened  less  than  seven 
hundred  miles  to  the  south.  Before  eight  days  were  over 
the  Abraham  Lincoln  would  be  plowing  the  waters  of  the 
Pacific. 

Seated  on  the  poop,  Ned  Land  and  I  were  chatting  of 
one  thing  and  another  as  we  looked  at  this  mysterious  sea 
whose  great  depths  had  up  to  this  time  been  inaccessible 
to  the  eye  of  man.  I  naturally  led  up  the  conversation  to 
the  giant  unicorn,  and  examined  the  various  chances  of 
success  or  failure  of  the  expedition.  But  seeing  that 
Ned  Land  let  me  speak  without  saying  too  much  himself, 
I  pressed  him  more  closely. 

"Well,  Ned,"  said  I,  "is  it  possible  that  you  are  not 
convinced  of  the  existence  of  this  cetacean  that  we  are 
following?  Have  you  any  particular  reason  for  oeing  so 
incredulous?" 

The  harpooner  looked  at  me  fixedly  for  some  momentg 
before  answering,  struck  his  broad  forehead  with  his  hand 
(a  habit  of  his),  as  if  to  collect  himself,  and  said  at  last, 
*' Perhaps  I  have,  Mr.  Aronnax." 

"  But,  Ned,  you,  a  whaler  by  profession,  familiarized 
with  all  the  great  marine  mammalia — you,  whose  imagi- 
nation might  easily  accept  the  hypothesis  of  enormous  ceta- 
ceans— you  ought  to  be  the  last  to  doubt  under  such 
circumstances!" 

"  That  is  just  what  deceives  you,  Professor,"  replied 
Ned.  "  That  the  vulgar  should  believe  in  extraordinary 
comets  traversing  space,  and  in  the  existence  of  antedilu- 
vian monsters  in  the  heart  of  the  globe,  may  well  be;  but 
neither  astronomers  nor  geologists  believe  in  such  chimeras. 
As  a  whaler,  I  have  followed  many  a  cetacean,  harpooned 
a  great  number,  and  killed  several;  but,  however  strong 
or  well-armed  they  may  have  been,  neither  their  tails  nor 
their  weapons  would  have  been  able  even  to  scratch  the 
iron  plates  of  a  steamer." 

"But,  Ned,  they  tell  of  ships  which  the  teeth  of  the 
narwhal  have  pierced  through  and  through." 


20  20,000    LEAGUES    TINDER    THE    SEAS. 

*' Wooden  ships— that  is  possible,"  replied  the  Cana- 
dian: *'but  I  have  never  seen  it  done;  and,  until  further 
proof,  I  deny  that  whales,  cetaceans,  or  sea-unicorns,  could 
ever  produce  the  effect  you  describe." 

"  Well,  Ned,  I  repeat  it  with  a  conviction  resting  on  the 
logic  of  facts.  I  believe  in  the  existence  of  h  mammal 
powerfully  organized,  belonging  to  the  branch  of  verte- 
brata,  liice  the  whales,  the  cachalots,  or  the  dolphins,  and 
furnished  with  a  horn  of  defense  of  great  penetrating 
power." 

^*Hum!"  said  the  harpooner,  shaking  his  head  with 
the  air  of  a  man  who  would  not  be  convinced. 

"  Notice  one  thing,  my  worthy  Canadian,"  I  resumed. 
**  If  such  an  animal  is  in  existence,  if  it  inhabits  the  depths 
of  the  ocean,  if  it  frequents  the  strata  lying  miles  below 
the  surface  of  the  water,  it  must  necessarily  possess  an 
organization  the  strength  of  which  would  defy  all  com- 
parison." 

"And  why  this  powerful  organization?"  demanded 
Ned. 

"  Because  it  requires  incalculable  strength  to  keep  one's 
self  in  these  strata  and  resist  their  pressure.  Listen  to 
me.  Let  us  admit  that  the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  is 
represented  by  the  weight  of  a  column  of  water  thirty-two 
feet  high.  In  reality  the  column  of  water  would  be 
shorter,  as  we  are  speaking  of  sea-water,  the  density  of 
which  is  greater  than  that  of  fresh  water.  Very  well, 
when  you  dive,  Ned,  as  many  times  thirty-two  feet  of 
water  as  there  are  above  you,  so  many  times  does  your 
body  bear  a  pressure  equal  to  that  of  the  atmosphere,  that 
is  to  say,  15  lbs.  for  each  square  inch  of  its  surface.  It 
follows,  then,  that  at  320  feet  this  pressure=that  of  10 
atmospheres,  of  100  atmospheres  at  3,200  feet,  and  of 
1,000  atmospheres  at  32,000  feet,  that  is,  about  6  miles; 
which  is  equivalent  to  saying  that,  if  you  could  attain  this 
depth  in  the  ocean,  each  square  3-8  of  an  inch  of  the  sur- 
face of  your  body  would  bear  a  pressure  of  5,600  lbs.  Ah! 
my  brave  Ned,  do  you  know  how  many  squares  inches  you 
carry  on  the  surface  of  your  body?" 

"  I  have  no  idea,  Mr.  Aronnax." 

**  About  6,500;  and,  ag  in  reality  the  atmospheric  press- 
ure is  about  15  lbs.  to  the  square  inch,  your  6,500  square 
inches  bear  at  this  moment  a  pressure  of  97,500  lbs," 


;80jOOO    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SBAS.  21 

"  Without  my  perceiving  it." 

"Without  your  perceiving  it.  And  if  you  are  not 
crushed  by  such  a  pressure,  it  is  because  the  air  pene- 
trates the  interior  of  your  body  with  equal  pressure. 
Hence  perfect  equilibrium  between  the  interior  and  ex- 
terior pressure,  which  thus  neutralize  each  other,  and 
which  allows  you  to  bear  it  without  inconvenience.  But 
in  the  water  it  is  another  thing." 

**Yes,  I  understand,"  replied  Ned,  becoming  more 
attentive;  '*  because  the  water  surrounds  me,  bat  does 
not  penetrate." 

'*  Precisely,  Ned;  so  that  at  32  feet  beneath  the  sur- 
face of  the  sea  you  would  undergo  a  pressure  of  97,500 
lbs.;  at  320  feet,  ten  times  that  pressure;  at  3,200  feet, 
a  hundred  times  that  pressure;  lastly,  at  32,000  feet, 
a  thousand  times  that  pressure  would  be  97,500,000  lbs., 
that  is  to  say,  you  would  be  flattened  as  if  you  had 
been  drawn  from  the  plates  of  an  hydraulic  machine!" 

'*  The  devil!"  exclaimed  Ned. 

"  Very  well,  my  worthy  harpooner,  if  some  vertebrate, 
several  hundred  yards  long,  and  large  in  proportion,  can 
maintain  itself  in  such  depths — of  those  whose  surface  is 
represented  by  millions  of  square  inches,  that  is  by  tens 
of  millions  of  pounds,  we  must  estimate  the  pressure  they 
undergo.  Consider,  then,  what  must  be  the  resistance  of 
their  bony  structure,  and  the  strength  of  their  organiza- 
tion to  withstand  such  pressure!" 

"Why!"  exclaimed  Ned  Land,  "they  must  be  made  of 
iron  plates  eight  inches  tliick,  like  the  armored  frigates." 

"As  you  say,  Ned.  And  think  what  destruction  such 
a  mass  would  cause,  if  hurled  with  the  speed  of  an  express 
train  against  the  hull  of  a  vessel." 

"  Yes — certainly — perhaps,"  replied  the  Canadian,  shak- 
en by  these  figures,  but  not  yet  willing  to  give  in. 

"  Well,  have  I  convinced  you?" 

"  You  have  convinced  me  of  one  thing,  sir,  which  is, 
that  if  such  animals  do  exist  at  the  bottom  of  the  seas, 
they  must  necessarily  be  as  strong  as  you  say." 

"  But  if  they  do  not  exist,  mine  obstinate  harpooner, 
how  explain  the  accident  to  the  Scotia?" 


32  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEi.S. 


CHAPTER  V. 

AT  A  VENTURE. 

The  voyage  of  the  Abraham  Lincoln  was  for  a  long  time 
marked  by  no  special  incident.  But  one  circumstance 
happened  which  showed  the  wonderful  dexterity  of  Ned 
Land,  and  proved  what  confidence  we  might  place  in 
him. 

The  30th  of  June,  the  frigate  spoke  some  American 
whalers,  from  whom  we  learned  that  they  knew  nothing 
about  the  narwhal.  But  one  of  them,  the  captain  of  the 
Monroe,  knowing  that  Ned  Land  had  shipped  on  board 
the  Abraham  Lincoln,  begged  for  his  help  in  chasing  a 
whale  they  had  in  sight.  Commander  Farragut,  desirous 
of  seeing  Ned  Land  at  work,  gave  him  permission  to  go 
on  board  the  Monroe.  And  fate  served  our  Canadian  so 
well  that,  instead  of  one  whale,  he  harpooned  two  witli  a 
double  blow,  striking  one  straight  to  the  heart  and  catch- 
ing the  other  after  some  minutes'  pursuit. 

Decidedly,  if  the  monster  ever  had  to  do  with  Ned 
Land's  harpoon,  I  would  not  bet  in  its  favor. 

The  frigate  skirted  the  southeast  coast  of  America  with 
great  rapidity.  The  3d  of  July  we  were  at  the  opening  of 
the  Straits  of  Magellan,  level  with  Cape  Vierges.  But 
Commander  Farragut  would  not  take  a  tortuous  passage, 
but  doubled  Cape  Horn. 

The  ship's  crew  agreed  with  him.  And  certainly  it 
was  possible  that  they  might  meet  the  narwhal  in  this 
narrow  pass.  Many  of  the  sailors  affirmed 'that  the 
monster  could  not  pass  there,  "  that  he  was  too  big  for 
that!" 

The  6th  of  July,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
the  Abraham  Lincoln,  at  fifteen  miles  to  the  south, 
doubled  tlie  solitary  island,  this  last  rock  at  the  extremity 
of  the  American  continent  to  which  some  Dutch  sailors 
gave  the  name  of  their  native  town,  Cape  Horn.  The 
course  was  taken  toward  the  northwest,  and  the  next  day 
the  screw  of  the  frigate  v/as  at  last  beating  the  waters  of 
the  Pacific. 

"Keep  your  eyes  open!"^called  out  the  sailors. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  2.1 

And  they  were  opened  widely.  Both  eyes  and  glasses, 
a  little  dazzled,  it  is  trne,  by  the  prospect  of  two  thousand 
dollars,  had  not  an  instant's  repose.  Day  and  night  they 
watched  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  and  even  nyctalopes, 
whose  faculty  of  seeing  in  the  darkness  multiplies  their 
chances  a  hundred-fold,  would  have  had  enough  to  do  to 
gain  the  prize. 

I  myself,  for  whom  money  had  no  charms,  was  not  the 
least  attentive  on  board.  Giving  but  few  minutes  to  my 
meals,  but  a  few  hours  to  sleep,  indifferent  to  either  rain 
or  sunshine,  I  did  not  leave  the  poop  of  the  vessel.  Now 
leaning  on  the  netting  of  the  forecastle,  now  on  the  taff- 
rail,  I  devoured  with  eagerness  the  soft  foam  which 
whitened  the  sea  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach;  and  how 
often  have  I  shared  the  emotion  of  the  majority  of  the 
crew  when  some  capricious  whale  raised  its  black  back 
above  the  waves!  The  poop  of  the  vessel  was  crowded  in 
a  moment.  The  cabins  poured  forth  a  torrent  of  sailors 
and  officers,  each  with  heaving  breast  and  troubled  eye 
watching  the  course  of  the  cetacean.  I  looked,  and 
looked,  till  I  was  nearly  blind, whilst  Conseil,  always  phleg- 
matic, kept  repeating  in  a  calm  voice: 

"If,  sir,  you  would  not  squint  so  much,  you  would  see 
better!" 

But  vain  excitement!  the  Abraham  Lincoln  checked  its 
speed  and  made  for  the  animal  signaled,  a  simple  whale, 
or  common  cachalot,  which  soon  disappeared  amidst  a 
storm  of  execration. 

But  the  weather  was  good.  The  voyage  was  being  ac- 
complished under  the  most  favorable  auspices.  It  was 
then  the  bad  season  in  Australia,  the  July  of  that  zone 
corresponding  to  our  January  in  Europe;  but  the  sea  was 
be'iutiful  and  easily  scanned  round  a  vast  circumference. 

The  20th  of  July,  the  tropic  of  Capricorn  was  cut  by 
105'^  of  longitude,  and  the  27th  of  the  same  month  we 
crossed  the  equator  on  the  110th  meridian.  This  passed, 
the  frigate  took  a  more  decided  westerly  direction,  and 
scoured  the  central  waters  of  the  Pacific.  Commander 
Farragut  thought,  and  with  reason,  that  it  was  better  to 
remain  in  deep  water,  and  keep  clear  of  continents  or  isl- 
ands, which  the  beast  itself  seemed  to  shun  (perhaps  be- 
cause there  was  not  enough  water  for  him!  suggested  the 
greater  part  of  the  crew).      The  frigate  passed  at  some 


24  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS. 

distance  from  the  Marquesas  and  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
crossed  the  tropic  of  Cancer,  and  made  for  the  China  Seas. 
We  were  on  the  theater  of  the  last  diversions  of  the  mon- 
ster; and  to  say  truth,  we  no  longer  lived  on  board. 
Hearts  palpitated  fearfully,  preparing  themselves  for  future 
incurable  aneurism.  The  entire  ship's  crew  were  under- 
going a  nervous  excitement,  of  which  I  can  give  no  idea; 
they  could  not  eat,  they  could  not  sleep;  twenty  times  a 
day,  a  misconception  or  an  optical  illusion  of  some  sailor 
seated  on  the  taffrail  would  cause  dreadful  perspirations, 
and  these  emotions,  twenty  times  repeated,  kept  us  in  a 
state  of  excitement  so  violent  that  a  reaction  was  unavoid- 
able. 

And  truly,  reaction  soon  showed  itself.  For  three 
months,  during  which  a  day  seemed  an  age,  the  Abraham 
Lincoln  furrowed  all  the  waters  of  the  Northern  Pacific, 
running  at  whales,  making  sharp  deviations  from  her 
course,  veering  suddenly  from  one  tack  to  another,  stop- 
ping suddenly,  putting  on  steam,  and  backing  ever  and 
anon  at  the  risk  of  deranging  her  machinery;  and  not  one 
point  of  the  Japanese  or  American  coast  was  left  unex- 
plored. 

The  warmest  partisans  of  the  enterprise  now  became  its 
most  ardent  detractors.  Reaction  mounted  from  the  crew 
to^the  captain  himself,  and  certainly  had  it  not  been  for 
resolute  determination  on  the  part  of  Captain  Farragut, 
the  frigate  would  have  headed  due  soutliward.  This  use- 
less search  could  not  last  much  longer.  The  Abraham 
Lincoln  had  nothing  to  reproach  herself  with,  she  had 
done  her  best  to  succeed.  Never  had  an  American  ship's 
crew  shown  more  zeal  or  patience:  its  failure  could  not 
be  placed  to  their  charge — there  remained  nothing  but  to 
return. 

This  was  represented  to  the  commander.  The  sailors 
could  not  hide  their  discontent,  and  tlie  service  suffered. 
I  will  not  say  there  was  a  mutiny  on  board,  but  after  a 
reasonable  period  of  obstinacy.  Captain  Farragut  (as  Co- 
lumbus did)  asked  for  three  days'  patience.  If  in  three 
days  the  monster  did  not  appear,  the  man  at  the  helm 
should  give  three  turns  of  the  wheel,  and  the  Abraham 
Lincoln  would  make  for  the  European  seas. 

This  promise  was  made  on  the  2d  of  November.  It  had 
the  effect  of  rallying  the  ship's  crew.     The  ocean  was 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  25 

watched  with  renewed  attention.  Each  one  wished  for  a 
last  glance  in  which  to  sum  up  his  remembrance.  Glasses 
were  used  with  feverish  activity.  It  was  a  grand  defiance 
given  to  the  giant  narwhal,  and  he  could  scarcely  fail  to 
answer  the  summons  and  ''appear." 

Two  days  passed,  the  steam  was  at  half  pressure,  a 
thousand  schemes  were  tried  to  attract  the  attention  and 
stimulate  the  apathy  of  the  animal  in  case  it  should  be  met 
in  those  parts.  Large  quantities  of  bacon  were  trailed  in 
the  wake  of  the  ship,  to  the  great  satisfaction  (I  must  say) 
of  the  sharks.  Small  craft  radiated  in  all  directions  round 
the  Abraham  Lincoln  as  she  lay  to,  and  did  not  leave  a 
spot  of  the  sea  unexplored.  But  the  night  of  the  4th  of 
November  arrived  without  the  unveiling  of  this  submarine 
mystery. 

The  next  day,  the  5th  of  November,  at  twelve,  the 
delay  would  (morally  speaking)  expire;  after  that  time 
Commander  Farragut,  faithful  to  his  promise,  was  to  turn 
the  course  to  the  southeast,  and  abandon  forever  the 
northern  regions  of  the  Pacific. 

The  frigate  was  then  in  31°  15'  north  latitude  and  136° 
42'  east  longitude.  The  coast  of  Japan  still  remained  less 
than  two  hundred  miles  to  leeward.  Night  was  approach- 
ing. They  had  just  struck  eight  bells;  large  clouds  veiled 
the  face  of  the  moon,  then  in  its  first  quarter.  The  sea 
undulated  peaceably  under  the  stern  of  the  vessel. 

At  that  moment  I  was  leaning  forward  on  the  starboard 
netting.  Conseil,  standing  near  me,  was  looking  straight 
before  him.  The  crew,  perched  in  the  ratlines,  examined 
the  horizon,  which  contracted  and  darkened  by  degrees. 
OflBcers  with  their  night-glasses  scoured  the  growing  dark- 
ness; sometimes  the  ocean  sparkled  under  the  rays  of  the 
moon,  which  darted  between  two  clouds,  then  all  trace  of 
light  was  lost  in  the  darkness. 

In  looking  at  Conseil,  I  could  see  he  was  undergoing  a 
little  of  the  general  influence.  At  least  I  thought  so. 
Perhaps  for  the  first  time  his  nerves  vibrated  to  a  senti- 
ment of  curiosity. 

"  Come,  Conseil,"  said  I,  "  this  is  the  last  chance  of 
pocketing  the  two  thousand  dollars." 

"  May!  be  permitted  to  say,  sir,"  replied  Conseil,  "thai- 
I  never  reckoned  on  getting  the  prize;  and,   had  the 


Jl6  20,OCO    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS, 

government  of  the  Union  offered  a  hundred,  thousand 
dollars,  it  would  have  been  none  the  poorer." 

"  You  are  right,  Conseil.  It  is  a  foolish  affair  after  all, 
and  one  upon  which  we  entered  too  lightly.  What  time 
lost,  what  useless  emotions!  We  should  have  been  back  in 
France  six  months  ago." 

"In  your  little  room,  sir,"  replied  Conseil,  "and  in 
your  museum,  sir;  and  I  should  have  already  classed  all 
your  fossils,  sir.  And  the  Babiroussa  would  have  been 
installed  in  its  cage  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  and  have 
drawn  all  the  curious  people  of  the  capital!" 

**  As  you  say,  Conseil.  I  fancy  we  shall  run  a  fair 
chance  of  being  laughed  at  for  our  pains." 

"That's  tolerably  certain,"  replied  Conseil,  quietly;  "I 
think  they  will  make  fun  of  you,  sir.  And,  must  I  say 
it?" 

"  Go  on,  my  good  friend." 

"  Well,  sir,  you  will  only  get  your  deserts.** 

"Indeed!" 

"When  one  has  the  honor  of  being  a  savant  as  you  are, 
sir,  one  should  not  expose  one's  self  to " 

Conseil  had  not  time  to  finish  his  compliment.  In  the 
midst  of  general  silence  a  voice  had  just  been  heard.  It 
was  the  voice  of  Ned  Land  shouting: 

"  Look  out  there!  the  very  thing  we  are  looking  for; — 
on  our  weather  beam!" 


CHAPTER  VL 

AT     FULL     STEAM. 

At  this  cry  the  whole  ship's  crew  hurried  toward  the 
harpooner — commander,  officers,  masters,  sailors,  cabin- 
boys;  even  the  engineers  left  their  engines,  and  the  stokers 
t.ieir  furnaces. 

The  order  to  stop  her  had  been  given,  and  the  frigate 
now  simply  went  on  by  her  own  momentum.  The  dark- 
ness was  then  profound;  and  however  good  the  Canadian's 
eyes  were,  I  asked  myself  how  he  had  managed  to  see,  and 
what  he  had  been  able  to  see.  My  heartbeat  as  if  it  would 
break.  But  Ned  Land  was  not  mistaken,  and  we  all  per* 
ceived  the  object  he  pointed  to.  At  two  cables'  lengths 
from  the  Abraham  Lincoln,  on  the  starboard  quarter,  the 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  27 

sea  seemed  to  be  illuminated  all  over.  It  was  not  a  mere 
phosphoric  phenomenon.  The  monster  emerged  some  fath- 
oms from  the  water,  and  then  threw  out  that  ver}'  intense 
but  inexplicable  light  mentioned  in  the  report  of  several 
captains.  This  magnificent  irradiation  must  have  been 
produced  by  an  agent  of  great  slmiing  power.  The  lum- 
inous part  traced  on  the  sea  an  immense  oval,  much  elon- 
gated, the  center  of  which  condensed  a  burning  heat, 
whose  overpowering  brilliancy  died  out  by  successive  gra- 
dations. 

"It  is  only  an  agglomeration  of  phosphoric  particles,** 
cried  one  of  the  ofiBcers. 

"  No,  sir,  certainly  not,"  I  replied.  *'  Never  did  pho- 
lades  or  salpae  produce  such  a  powerful  light.  That  bright- 
ness is  of  an  essentially  electrical  nature.  Besides,  see, 
see!  it  moves:  it  is  moving  forward,  backward,  it  is  dart- 
ing toward  us!" 

A  general  cry  arose  from  the  frigate. 

"  Silence!"  said  the  captain;  '^  up  with  the  helm,  reverse 
the  engines." 

The  steam  was  shut  off,  and  the  Abraham  Lincoln,  beat- 
ing to  port,  described  a  semicircle. 

"  Right  the  helm,  go  ahead,"  cried  the  captain. 

These  orders  were  executed,  and  the  frigate  moved  rap- 
idly from  the  burning  light. 

I  was  mistaken.  She  tried  to  sheer  off,  but  the  super- 
natural animal  approached  with  a  velocity  double  her 
own. 

We  gasped  for  breath.  Stupefaction  more  than  fear 
made  us  dumb  and  motionless.  The  animal  gained  on 
us,  sporting  with  the  waves.  It  made  the  round  of  the 
frigate,  which  was  then  making  fourteen  knots,  and  en- 
veloped it  with  its  electric  rings  like  luminous  dust. 
Then  it  moved  away  two  or  three  miles,  leaving  a  phos- 
phorescent track,  like  those  volumes  of  steam  that  the 
express  trains  leave  behind.  All  at  once  from  the  dark 
line  of  the  horizon  whither  it  retired  to  gain  its  momen- 
tum, the  monster  rushed  suddenly  toward  the  Abraham 
Lincoln  with  alarming  rapidity,  stopped  suddenly  about 
twenty  feet  from  the  hull,  and  died  out — not  diving 
under  the  water,  for  its  brilliancy  did  not  abate— but 
suddenly,  and  as  if  the  source  of  this  brilliant  emanation 
was  exhausted.      Then  it  reappeared  on  the  other  side 


28  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

of  the  vessel  as  if  it  had  turned  and  slid  under  the  hull. 
Any  momeuu  a  collision  might  have  occurred  which  would 
have  been  fatal  to  us.  However,  I  was  astonished  ac 
the  maneuvers  of  the  frigate.  She  fled  and  did  not 
attack. 

On  the  captain's  face,  generally  so  impassive,  was  an 
expression  of  unaccountable  astonishment. 

'•  Mr.  Aronnax,"  he  said,  "1  do  not  know  with  what 
formidable  being  I  have  to  deal,  and  I  will  not  impru- 
dently risk  my  frigate  in  the  midst  of  this  darkness.  Be- 
Bides,  how  attack  this  unknown  thing,  how  defend  one's 
self  from  it?  Wait  for  daylight,  and  the  scene  will 
change." 

"  Yon  have  iio  further  doubt.  Captain,  of  the  nature  of 
the  animal?" 

"  No,  sir;  it  is  evidently  a  gigantic  narwhal,  and  an 
electric  one." 

"  Perhaps,"  added  I,  ''one  can  only  approach  it  with  a 
gymnotus  or  a  torpedo." 

"Undoubtedly,"  rei:)lied  the  captain,  "if  it  possesses 
such  dreadful  power,  it  is  the  most  terrible  animal  that 
ever  was  created.  That  is  why,  sir,  I  must  be  on  my 
guard." 

The  crew  were  on  their  feet  all  night.  No  one  thought 
of  sleep.  The  Abraham  Lincoln,. not  being  able  to  strug- 
gle with  such  velocity,  had  modei'ated  its  pace,  and  sailed 
at  half  speed.  For  its  part,  the  narwhal,  imitating  the 
frigate,  let  the  waves  rock  it  at  will,  and  seemed  decided 
not  to  leave  the  scene  of  the  struggle.  Toward  mid- 
night, hov/ever,  it  disappeare  1,  or,  to  use  a  more  appro- 
priate term,  it  "  died  out  "  like  a  large  glow-worm.  Had 
it  fled?  One  could  only  fear,  not  hope  it.  But  at  seven 
minutes  to  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  a  deafening  whist- 
ling was  heard,  like  that  produced  by  a  body  of  water 
rushing  with  great  violence. 

rhe  captain,  Ned  Land,  and  I  were  then  on  the  poop, 
eagerly  peering  through  the  profound  darkness. 

"  Ned  Land,"  asked  the  commander,  "you  have  often 
heard  the  roaring  of  whales?" 

"  Often,  sir;  but  never  such  whales  the  sight  of  which 
brought  me  in  two  thousand  dollars.  If  I  can  only 
approach  within  four  harpoon  lengths  of  iti" 


S0,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  29 

*'  But  to  approach  it,"  said  the  commander,  "  I  ought 
to  put  a  whaler  at  your  disposal?" 

** Certainly,  sir." 

**  That  will  be  trifling  with  the  lives  of  my  men." 

"And  mine  too,"  simply  said  the  harpooner. 

Toward  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  burning  light 
reappeared,  not  less  intense,  about  five  miles  to  windward 
of  the  Abraham  Lincoln.  Notwithstanding  the  distance, 
and  the  noise  of  the  wind  and  sea,  one  heard  distinctly 
the  loud  strokes  of  the  animal's  tail,  and  even  its  panting 
breath.  It  seemed  that,  at  the  moment  that  the  enor- 
mous narwhal  had  come  to  take  breath  at  the  surface  of  the 
water,  the  air  was  ingulfed  in  its  lungs,  like  the  steam  in 
the  vast  cylinders  of  a  machine  of  two-thousand  horse- 
power. 

"Hum!"  thought  I,  "a  whale  with  the  strength  of  a 
cavalry  regiment  would  be  a  pretty  whale!" 

We  were  on  the  qui  vive  till  daylight,  and  prepared  for 
the  combat.  The  fishing  implements  were  laid  along  the 
hammock  nettings.  The  second  lieutenant  loaded  the 
blunderbusses,  which  could  throw  harpoons  to  the  dis- 
tance of  a  mile,  and  long  duck-guns,  with  explosive 
bullets,  which  inflicted  mortal  wounds  even  to  the  most 
terrible  animals.  Ned  Land  contented  himself  with 
sharpening  his  harpoon — a  terrible  weapon  in  his  hands. 

At  six  o'clock,  day  began  to  break;  and  with  the  first 
glimmer  of  light,  the  electric  light  of  the  narwhal  dis- 
appeared. At  seven  o'clock  the  day  was  sufficiently  ad- 
vanced, but  a  very  thick  sea-fog  obscured  our  view,  and 
the  best  spy-glasses  could  not  pierce  it.  That  caused  dis- 
appointment and  anger. 

I  climbed  the  mizzen-mast.  Some  officers  were  already 
perched  on  the  mast-heads.  At  eight  o'clock  the  fog  lay 
heavily  on  the  waves,  and  its  thick  scrolls  rose  little  by 
little.  The  horizon  grew  wider  and  clearer  at  the  same 
time.  Suddenly,  just  as  on  the  day  before,  Ned  Land's 
voice  was  heard. 

"  The  thing  itself  on  the  port  quarter!"  cried  the  har- 
pooner. 

Every  eye  was  turned  toward  the  point  indicated.  There, 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  frigate,  a  long  blackish  body 
emerged  a  yard  above  the  waves.  Its  tail,  violently 
agitated,   produced  a  considerable  eddy.     Never  did  a 


30  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

caudal  appendage  beat  the  sea  with  such  violence.  An 
immense  track,  of  a  dazzling  whiteness,  marked  the  pas- 
sage of  the  animal,  and  described  a  long  curve. 

The  frigate  approached  the  cetacean.  I  examined  it 
thoroughly. 

Tiie  reports  of  the  Shannon  and  of  the  Helvetia  had 
rather  exaggerated  its  size,  and  I  estimated  its  length  at 
only  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  As  to  its  dimensions,  I 
could  only  conjecture  them  to  be  admirably  proportioned. 
While  I  watched  thisphenomenon,  two  jets  of  steam  and 
water  were  ejected  from  its  vents,  and  rose  to  the  height 
of  130  feet;  thus  I  ascertained  its  way  of  breathing.  I 
concluded  definitely  that  it  belonged  to  the  vertebrate 
branch,  class  mammalia. 

The  crew  waited  impatiently  for  their  chief's  ^orders. 
The  latter,  after  having  observed  the  animal  attentively, 
called  the  engineer.     The  engineer  ran  to  him. 

"Sir,"  said  the  commander,  "you  have  steam  up?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  the  engineer. 

'*  Well,  make  up  your  fires  and  put  on  all  steam." 

Three  hurrahs  greeted  this  order.  The  time  for  the 
struggle  had  arrived.  Some  moments  after,  the  two  fun- 
nels of  the  frigate  vomited  torrents  of  black  smoke,  and 
the  bridge  quaked  under  the  trembling  of  the  boilers. 

The  Abraham  Lincoln,  propelled  by  her  powerful  screw, 
went  straight  at  the  animal.  The  latter  allowed  it  to 
come  within  a  half  a  cable's  length;  then,  as  if  disdaining 
to  dive,  it  took  a  little  turn,  and  stopped  a  short  dis- 
tance off. 

This  pursuit  lasted  nearly  three-quarters  of  an  hour, 
without  the  frigate  gaining  two  yards  on  the  cetacean.  It 
was  quite  evident  that  atlhat  rate  we  should  never  come 
up  with  it. 

"Well,  Mr.  Land,"  asked  the  captain,  "do  you  advise 
me  to  put  the  boats  out  to  sea?" 

"No,  sir,"  replied  Ned  Land;  "because  we  shall  not 
take  Hiat  beast  easily." 

"  What  shall  we  do  then?" 

"Put  on  more  steam  if  you  can,  sir.  With  your  leave, 
1  mean  to  post  myself  under  the  bowsprit,  and  if  we  get 
within  harpooning  distance,  I  shall  throw  my  harpoon." 

"  Go,  Ned,"  said  the  captain.  "  Engineer,  put  on  more 
pr*»s8ure." 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEA.S.  31 

Ned  Land  went  to  his  post.  The  fires  were  increased, 
the  screw  revolved  forty-three  times  a  minute,  and  the 
steam  poured  out  of  the  valves.  We  heaved  the  log,  and 
calculated  that  the  Abraham  Lincoln  was  going  at  the  rate 
of  18  1-2  miles  an  hour. 

But  the  accursed  animal  swam  too  at  the  rate  of  18 1-3 
miles  an  hour. 

For  a  whole  hour  the  frigate  kept  up  this  pace,  without 
gaining  six  feet.  It  was  humiliating  for  one  of  the  swiftest 
sailers  in  the  Amei^can  navy.  A  stubborn  anger  seized  the 
crew;  the  sailors  abused  the  monster,  who,  as  before,  dis- 
dained to  answer  them;  the  captain  no  longer  contented 
htmself  with  twisting  his  beard — he  gnawed  it. 

The  engineer  was  again  called. 

''You  have  turned  full  steam  on?" 

"Yes,  sir,'*  replied  the  engineer. 

The  speed  of  the  Abraham  Lincoln  increased.  Its  masts 
trembled  down  to  their  stepping-holes,  and  the  clouds  of 
smoke  could  hardly  find  way  out  of  the  narrow  funnels. 

They  heaved  the  log  a  second  time. 

"  Well?"  asked  the  captain  of  the  man  at  the  wheel. 

"Nineteen  miles  and  three  tenths,  sir." 

*'  Clap  on  more  steam." 

The  engineer  obeyed.  The  manometer  showed  ten  de- 
grees. But  the  cetacean  grew  warm  itself,  no  doubt;  for, 
without  straining  itself,  it  made  19  1-3  miles. 

What  a  pursuit!  No,  I  cannot  describe  the  emotion 
that  vibrated  through  me.  Ned  Land  kept  his  post,  har- 
poon in  hand.  Severai  times  the  animal  let  us  gain  upon 
it.  "We  shall  catch  it!  we  shall  catch  it!"  cried  the 
Canadian.  But  just  as  he  was  going  to  strike,  the  ceta- 
cean stole  away  with  a  rapidity  that  could  not  be  estimated 
at  less  than  thirty  miles  an  hour,  and  even  during  our 
maximum  of  speed  it  bullied  the  frigate,  going  round  and 
round  it.     A  cry  of  fury  broke  from  every  one! 

At  noon  we  were  no  further  advanced  than  at  eight 
o'clock  in  the  morning. 

The  captain  then  decided  to  take  more  direct  means. 

"Ah!"  said  he,  "that  animal  goes  quicker  than  the 
Abraham  Lincoln.  Very  well!  we  will  see  whether  it  will 
escap*  these  conical  bullets.  Send  your  men  to  the  fore- 
castle, sir." 

The  forecastle  gun  was  immediately  loaded  and  slewed 


82  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    8EA8. 

round.  But  the  shot  passed  some  feet  above  the  catacean, 
which  was  a  half  mile  ofE. 

''Anotiier  more  to  the  right,"  cried  the  commander, 
**and  five  dollars  to  whoever  will  hit  that  infernal  beast." 

An  old  gunner,  with  a  gray  beard — that  I  can  see  now — 
with  steady  eye  and  grave  face,  went  up  to  the  gun  and 
took  a  long  aim.  A  loud  report  was  heard,  with  which 
were  mingled  the  cheers  of  the  crew. 

The  bullet  did  its  work;  it  hit  the  animal,  but  not 
fatally,  and,  sliding  off  the  rounded  surface,  was  lost  in 
two  miles  depth  of  sea. 

The  chase  began  again,  and  the  captain,  leaning  toward 
me,  said: — "  I  will  pursue  that  beast  till  mv  frigate  bursts 
up." 

"Yes,"  answered  I;  *' and  you  will  be  quite  right  to 
do  it." 

I  wished  the  beast  would  exhaust  itself,  and  not  be  in- 
sensible to  fatigue,  like  a  steam-engine!  But  it  was  of 
no  use.  Hours  passed  without  its  showing  any  signs  of 
exhaustion. 

However,  it  must  be  said  in  praise  of  the  Abraham 
Lincoln,  that  she  struggled  on  indefatigably.  I  cannot 
reckon  the  distance  she  made  under  three  hundred  miles 
during  this  unlucky  day,  November  the  6th.  But  night 
came  on,  and  overshadowed  the  rough  ocean. 

Now  I  thought  our  expedition  was  at  an  end,  and  that 
we  should  never  again  see  the  extraordinary  animal.  I 
was  mistaken.  At  ten  minutes  to  eleven  in  the  evening, 
the  electric  light  reappeared  three  miles  to  windward  of 
the  frigate,  as  pure,  as  intense  as  during  the  preceding 
night. 

The  narwhal  seemed  motionless;  perhaps,  tired  with  its 
day's  work,  it  slept,  letting  itself  float  with  the  undulation 
of  the  waves.  Now  was  the  cliance  of  which  the  captain 
resolved  to  take  advantage. 

He  gave  his  orders.  The  Abraham  Lincoln  kept  up 
half-steam,  and  advanced  cautiously,  so  as  not  to  awake 
its  adversary.  It  is  no  rare  thing  to  meet  in  the  middle  of 
the  ocean  whales  so  sound  asleep  that  they  can  be  success- 
fully attacked,  and  Ned  Land  had  harpooned  more  than 
one  during  its  sleep.  The  Canadian  went  to  take  his  place 
again  under  the  bowsprit. 

The  frigate  approached  noiselessly,   stopped    at    two 


20,000    LEAGUES    UN35ER    THE    SEAS.  33 

cables'  length  from  the  animal,  and  following  its  track. 
No  one  breathed;  a  deep  silence  reigned  on  the  bridge. 
We  were  not  a  hundred  feet  from  the  burning  focus,  the 
light  of  which  increased  and  dazzled  our  eyes. 

At  this  moment,  leaning  on  the  forecastle  bulwark,  I 
saw  below  me  Ned  Land  grappling  the  martingale  in  one 
hand,  brandishing  his  terrible  harpoon  in  the  other, 
scarcely  twenty  feet  from  the  motionless  animal.  Sud- 
denly his  arm  straightened,  and  the  harpoon  was  thrown; 
I  heard  the  sonorous  stroke  of  the  weapon,  which  seemed 
to  have  struck  a  hard  body.  The  electric  light  went  out 
suddenly,  and  two  enormous  water-spouts  broke  over  the 
bridge  of  the  frigate,  rushing  like  a  torrent  from  stem  to 
stern,  overthrowing  men,  and  breaking  the  lashing  of  the 
spars.  A  fearful  shock  followed,  and,  thrown  over  the 
rail  without  having  time  to  stop  myself,  I  fell  into  the  sea. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

AN  UN"K]SrOWN"   SPECIES  OF  WHALE. 

This  unexpected  fall  so  stunned  me  tha5  I  have  no 
•lear  recollection  of  my  sensation  at  the  time.  I  was  at 
first  drawn  down  to  a  depth  of  about  twenty  feet.  I  am 
a  good  swimmer  (though  without  pretending  to  rival 
Byron  or  Edgar  Poe,  who  were  masters  of  the  art),  and 
in  that  plunge  I  did  not  lose  my  presence  of  mind.  Two 
vigorous  strokes  brought  me  to  the  surface  of  the  water. 
My  first  care  was  to  look  for  the  frigate.  Had  the  crew 
seen  me  disappear?  Had  the  Abraham  Lincoln  veered 
round?  Would  the  captain  put  out  a  boat?  Might  I  hope 
to  be  saved? 

The  darkness  was  intense.  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  a 
black  mass  disappearing  in  the  east,  its  beacon  lights 
dying  out  in  the  distance.  It  was  the  frigate.  I  was 
lost. 

"Help,  help!"  I  shouted,  swimming  toward  the  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  in  desperation. 

My  clothes  encumbered  me;  they  seemed  glued  to  mj 
body,  and  paralyzed  my  movements. 

I  was  sinking!    I  was  suffocating. 

"Help!" 


84  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

This  was  my  last  cry.  My  mouth  filled  with  water;  1 
struggled  against  being  drawn  down  the  abyss.  Suddenly 
my  clothes  were  seized  by  a  strong  hand,  and  I  felt  my- 
self quickly  drawn  up  to  the  surface  of  the  sea;  and  I 
heard,  yes,  I  heard  these  words  pronounced  in  my  ear: 

"  If  master  would  be  so  good  as  to  lean  on  my  shoul- 
der, master  would  swim  with  much  greater  ease." 

I  seized  with  one  hand  my  faithful  Conseil's  arm. 

"  Is  it  you?"  said  I — '*you?" 

**  Myself,"  answered  Conseil;  ''and  waiting  master'* 
orders." 

"  That  shock  threw  you  as  well  as  me  into  the  sea?" 

*'  No;  but  being  in  my  master's  service,  I  followed  him.'* 

The  worthy  fellow  thought  that  was  but  natural. 

*'  And  the  frigate?"  I  asked. 

**The  frigate,"  replied  Conseil,  turning  on  his  back; 
"  I  think  that  master  had  better  not  count  too  much  on 
her." 

"  You  think  so?" 

*'  I  say  that,  at  the  time  I  threw  myself  into  the  sea  I 
heard  the  men  at  the  wheel  say,  *  The  screw  and  the  rud- 
der are  broken.' " 

"Broken?" 

"  Yes,  broken  by  the  monster's  teeth.  It  is  the  only 
injury  the  Abraham  Lincoln  sustained.  But  it  is  a  bad 
lookout  for  us — she  no  longer  answers  her  helm." 

"  Then  we  are  lost!" 

**  Perhaps  so,"  calmly  answered  Conseil.  "  However, 
we  have  still  several  hours  before  us,  and  one  can  do  a 
good  deal  in  some  hours." 

Conseil's  imperturbable  coolness  set  me  up  again.  I 
Bwam  more  vigorously;  but,  cramped  by  my  clothes,  which 
stuck  to  me  like  a  leaden  weight,  I  felt  great  difficulty  in 
bearing  up.     Conseil  saw  this. 

"Will  master  let  me  make  a  slit?"  said  he;  and  slip- 
ping an  open  knife  under  my  clothes,  he  ripped  them  up 
from  top  to  bottom  very  rapi'dly.  Then  he  cleverly  slip- 
ped them  off  me,  while  I  swam  for  both  of  us. 

Then  I  did  the  same  for  Conseil,  and  we  continued  to 
swim  near  to  each  other. 

Nevertheless,  our  situation  was  no  less  terrible.  Per- 
haps our  disappearance  had  not  been  noticed;  and  if  it 
had  been,  the  frigate  could  not  tack,  being  without  iti 


20,000    LEi.GUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  35 

helm.  Conseil  argued  on  this  supposition,  and  laid  his 
plans  accordingly.  This  phlegmatic  boy  was  perfectly 
self-possessed.  We  then  decided  that,  as  our  only  chance 
of  safety  was  in  being  picked  up  by  the  Abraham  Lincoln's 
boats,  we  ought  to  manage  so  as  to  wait  for  them  as  long 
as  possible.  I  resolved  then  to  husband  our  strength,  so 
that  both  should  not  be  exhausted  at  the  same  time;  and 
this  is  how  we  managed:  while  one  of  us  lay  on  his  back, 
quite  still,  with  arms  crossed,  and  legs  stretched  out,  the 
other  would  swim  and  push  him  on  in  front.  This 
towing  business  did  not  last  more  than  ten  minutes  each; 
and  relieving  each  other  thus,  we  could  swim  on  for  some 
hours,  perhaps  till  daybreak.  Poor  chance!  but  hope  is 
so  firmly  rooted  in  tiie  heart  of  man!  Moreover,  there 
were  two  of  us.  Indeed  I  declare  (though  it  may  seem 
improbable)  if  I  sought  to  destroy  all  hope,  if  I  wished  to 
despair,  I  could  not. 

The  collision  of  the  frigate  with  the  cetacean  had  oc- 
curred about  eleven  o'clock  the  evening  before.  I  reck- 
oned then  we  should  have  eight  hours  to  swim  before  sun- 
rise— an  operation  quite  practicable  if  we  relieved  each 
other.  The  sea,  very  calm,  was  in  our  favor.  Sometimes 
I  tried  to  pierce  the  intense  darkness  that  was  only  dis- 
pelled by  the  phosphorescence  caused  by  our  movements. 
I  watched  the  luminous  waves  that  broke  over  my  hand, 
whose  mirror-like  surface  was  spotted  with  silvery  rings. 
One  might  have  said  that  we  were  in  a  bath  of  quick- 
silver. 

Near  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  I  was  seized  with 
dreadful  fatigue.  My  limbs  stiffened  under  the  strain  of 
violent  cramp.  Conseil  was  obliged  to  keep  me  up,  and 
our  preservation  devolved  on  him  alone.  I  heard  the  poor 
boy  pant;  his  breathing  came  short  and  hurried.  I  found 
that  he  could  not  keep  up  much  longer. 

"Leave  me!  leave  me!"  I  said  to  him. 

"  Leave  my  master?  never!"  replied  he.  "  I  would  drown 
first." 

Just,  then  the  moon  appeared  through  th-9  fringes  of  a 
thick  cloud  that  the  wind  was  driving  to  the  east.  The 
surface  of  the  sea  glittered  with  its  rays.  This  kindly 
light  reanimated  us.  My  head  got  better  again.  Hooked 
at  all  the  points  of  the  horizon.     I  saw  the  frigate!    Sh«i 


36  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

was  five  miles  from  us,  and  looked  like  a  dark  mass,  hardly 
discernible.     But  no  boats! 

I  would  have  cried  out.  But  what  ^ood  would  it  have 
been  at  such  a  distance!  My  swollen  lips  could  utter  no 
sounds.  Conseil  could  articulate  some  words,  and  I  heard 
him  repeat  at  intervals,  "Help!  help!" 

Our  movements  were  suspended  for  an  instant;  we 
listened.  It  might  be  only  a  singing  in  the  ear,  but 
it  seemed  to  me  as  if  a  cry  answered  the  cry  from  Con- 
seil'. 

"Did  you  hear?"  I  murmured. 

"Yes!  yes!" 

And  Conseil  gave  one  more  despairing  call. 

This  time  there  was  no  mistake!  A  human  voice  re- 
sponded to  ours!  Was  it  the  voice  of  another  unfortunate 
creature  abandoned  in  the  middle  of  the  ocean,  some  other 
victim  of  the  shock  sustained  by  the  vessel?  Or  rather 
was  it  a  boat  from  the  frigate,  that  was  hailing  us  in  the 
darkness? 

Conseil  made  a  last  effort,  and  leaning  on  my  shoulder, 
while  1  struck  out  in  a  despairing  effort,  he  raised  himself 
half  out  of  the  water,  then  fell  back  exhausted. 

"  What  did  you  see?" 

"I  saw,"  murmured  he — "I  saw — but  do  not  talk — 
reserve  all  your  strength." 

What  had  he  seen?  Then,  I  know  not  why,  the  thought 
of  the  monster  came  into  my  head  for  the  first  time!  But 
that  voice?  The  time  is  past  for  Jomahs  to  take  refuge  in 
whales'  bellies!  However,  Conseil  was  towing  me  again. 
He  raised  his  head  sometimes,  looked  before  us,  and  ut- 
tered a  cry  of  recognition,  which  was  responded  to  by  a 
voice  that  came  nearer  and  nearer.  I  scarcely  heard  it. 
My  strength  was  exliausted;  my  fingers  stiffened;  my 
hand  afforded  me  support  no  longer;  my  mouth,  convul- 
sively opening,  filled  with  salt  water.  Cold  crept  over 
me.     I  r.iised  my  head  for  the  last  time,  then  I  sank. 

At  this  moment  a  hard  body  struck  me.  I  clung  to  it: 
then  I  felt  that  I  was  being  drawn  up,  that  I  was  brought 
to  the  surface  of  the  water,  that  my  chest  collapsed:  1 
fainted.  » 

It  is  certain  that  I  soon  came  to,  thanks  to  the  vigorous 
rubbings  I  received.     I  half  opened  my  eyes. 

"  Conseil!"  I  murmured. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  37 

**Does  master  call  me?"  asked  Conseil. 

Just  then,  by  the  waning  light  of  the  moon,  which  wag 
sinking  down  to  the  horizon.  I  saw  a  face  which  was  not 
Conseil's,  and  which  I  immediately  recognized. 

"N-ed!"  I  cried. 

"The  same,  sir,  who  is  seeking  his  prize!"  replied  the 
Canadian. 

"  Were  you  thrown  into  the  sea  by  the  shock  of  the 
frigate?" 

"  Yes,  Professor;  but  more  fortunate  than  you,  I  was 
able  to  find  a  footing  almost  directly  upon  a  floating 
island." 

"An  island?" 

"  Or,  more  correctly  speaking,  on  our  gigantic  nar- 
whal." 

"Explain  yourself,  Ned!" 

"  Only  1  soon  found  out  why  my  harpoon  had  not  en- 
tered its  skin  and  was  blunted." 

"Why,  Ned,  why?" 

"  Because,  Professor,  that  beast  is  made  of  sheet-iron?" 

The  Canadian's  last  words  produced  a  sudden  revolu- 
tion in  my  brain.  I  wriggled  myself  quickly  to  the  top  of 
the  being,  or  object,  half  out  of  the  water,  which  served 
us  for  a  refuge.  I  kicked  it.  It  was  evidently  a  hard, 
impenetrable  body,  and  not  the  substance  that  forms  the 
bodies  of  the  great  marine  mammalia.  But  this  hard 
body  might  be  a  bony  carapace,  like  that  of  the  antedilu- 
vian animals;  and  I  should  be  free  to  class  this  monster 
among  amphibious  reptiles,  such  as  tortoises  or  alligators. 

Well,  no!  the  blackish  back  that  supported  me  was 
smooth,  polished,  without  scales.  The  blow  produced  a 
metallic  sound;  and  incredible  though  it  may  be,  it  seemed, 
I  might  say,  as  if  it  was  of  riveted  plates. 

There  was  no  doubt  about  it!  this  monster,  this  natural 
phenomenon  that  had  puzzled  the  learned  world,  and 
overthrown  and  misled  the  imagination  of  seamen  of  both 
hemispheres,  was,  it  must  be  owned,  a  stllJ  more  astonish- 
ing phenomenon,  inasmuch  as  it  was  a  simply  human 
construction. 

We  had  no  time  to  lose,  however.  We  were  lying  upon 
the  back  of  a  sort  of  submarine  boat,  which  appeared  (as 
far  as  I  could  judge)  like  a  huge  fish  of  steel.     Ned  Land's 


88  20,000    MIAGTffES    ITNDER   THE    SEAS. 

mind  was  made  up  on  this  point.  Conseil  and  I  could 
only  agree  with  him. 

Just  then  a  bubbling  began  at  the  back  of  this  strange 
thing  (which  was  evidently  propelled  by  a  screw),  and  it 
began  to  move.  We  had  only  just  time  to  seize  hold  of 
the  upper  part,  which  rose  about  seven  feet  out  of  the 
water,  and  happily  its  speed  was  not  great. 

"  As  long  as  it  sails  horizontally,"  muttered  Ned  Land, 
"  I  do  not  mind,  but  if  it  takes  a  fancy  to  dive,  I  would 
not  give  two  straws  for  my  life." 

The  Canadian  might  have  said  still  less.  It  became 
really  necessary  to  communicate  with  the  beings,  whatever 
they  were,  shut  up  inside  the  machine.  I  searched  all 
over  the  outside  for  an  aperture,  a  panel,  or  a  man-hole, 
to  use  a  technical  expression;  but  the  lines  of  the  iron 
rivets,  solidly  driven  into  the  joints  of  the  iron  plates, 
were  clear  and  uniform.  Besides,  the  moon  disappeared 
then,  and  left  us  in  total  darkness. 

At  last  this  long  night  passed.  My  indistinct  remem- 
brance prevents  my  describing  all  the  impressions  it  made. 
I  can  only  recall  one  circumstance.  During  some  lulls  of 
the  wind  and  sea,  I  fancied  I  heard  several  times  vague 
sounds,  a  sort  of  fugitive  harmony  produced  by  distant 
words  of  command.  What  was  then  the  mystery  of  this 
submarine  craft  of  which  the  whole  world  vainly  sought 
an  explanation?  What  kind  of  beings  existed  in  this 
strange  boat?  What  mechanical  agent  caused  its  prodigious 
speed  ? 

Daybreak  appeared.  The  morning  mists  surrounded 
us,  but  they  soon  cleared  off.  I  was  about  to  examine  the 
hull,  which  formed  on  deck  a  kind  of  horizontal  platform, 
when  I  felt  it  gradually  sinking. 

*'  0,  confound  it!"  cried  Ned  Land,  kicking  the  resound- 
ing plate,  ''open,  you  inhospitable  rascals!" 

Happily  the  sinking  movement  ceased.  Suddenly  a 
noise,  like  iron  works  violently  pushed  aside,  came  from 
the  interior  of  the  boat.  One  iron  plate  was  moved,  a 
man  appeared,  uttered  an  odd  cry,  and  disappeared  im- 
mediately. 

Some  moments  after,  eight  strong  men  with  masked  faces 
appeared  noiselessly,  and  drew  us  down  into  their  formid- 
able machine. 


JIO,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  3ft 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MOBIUS    IN    MOBILI. 

This  forcible  abduction,  so  rougbly  carried  out,  was  ac- 
complished with  the  rapidity  of  lightning.  I  shivered  all 
over.  Whom  had  we  to  deal  with?  No  doubt  some  new 
sort  of  pirates,  who  explored  the  sea  in  their  own  way. 

Hardly  had  the  narrow  panel  closed  upon  me,  when  I 
was  enveloped  in  darkness.  My  eyes,  dazzled  with  the 
outer  light,  could  distinguish  nothing,  I  felt  my  naked 
feet  cling  to  the  rungs  of  an  iron  ladder.  Ned  Land  and 
Conseil,  firmly  seized,  followed  me.  At  the  bottom  of 
the  ladder,  a  door  opened,  and  shut  after  us  immediately 
with  a  bang. 

We  were  alone.    Where,  I  could  not  say,  hardly  imagine. 

All  was  black,  and  such  a  dense  black  that,  after  some 
minutes,  my  eyes  had  not  been  able  to  discern  even  the 
faintest  glimmer. 

Meanwhile,  Ned  Land,  furious  at  these  proceedings, 
gave  free  vent  to  his  indignation. 

'•'  Confound  it!"  cried  he,  "  here  are  people  who  come 
up  to  the  Scotch  for  hospitality.  They  only  just  miss 
being  cannibals.  I  should  not  be  surprised  at  it,  but  I  de- 
clare that  they  shall  not  eat  me  without  my  protesting." 

"  Calm  yourself,  friend  Ned,  calm  yourself,"  replied 
Conseil,  quietly.  "  Do  not  cry  out  before  you  are  hurt. 
We  are  not  quite  dione  for  yet." 

"Not  quite,"  sharply  replied  the  Canadian,  "but 
pretty  near,  at  all  events.  Things  look  black.  Happily 
my  bowie-knife  I  have  still,  and  I  can  always  see  well 
enough  to  use  it.  The  first  of  these  pirates  who  lays  a 
hand  on  me " 

"  Do  not  excite  yourself,  Ned,"  I  said  to  the  harpooner, 
"  and  do  not  compromise  us  by  useless  violence.  Who 
knows  that  they  will  not  listen  to  us?  Let  us  rather  try 
to  find  out  where  we  are." 

I  groped  about.  In  five  steps  I  came  to  an  iron  wall, 
made  of  plates  bolted  together.  Then,  turning  back,  I 
struck  against  a  wooden  table,  near  which  were  ranged 
several  stools.     The  boards  of  this  prison  were  concealed 


40  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

under  a  thick  mat  of  phormium,  whicli  deadened  tlie  noise 
of  the  feet.  The  bare  walls  revealed  no  trace  of  window 
or  door.  Conseil,  going  round  the  reverse  way,  met  me, 
and  we  went  back  to  the  middle  of  the  cabin,  which 
measured  about  twenty  feet  by  ten.  As  to  its  heigiit, 
Ned  Land,  in  spite  of  his  own  great  height,  could  not 
measure  it. 

Half  an  hour  had  already  passed  without  our  situation 
being  bettered,  when  the  dense  darkness  suddenly  gave 
way  to  extreme  light.  Our  prison  was  suddenly  lighted; 
that  is  to  say,  it  became  filled  with  a  luminous  matter  so 
strong  that  I  could  not  bear  it  at  first.  In  its  whiteness  and 
intensity  I  recognized  that  electric  lignt  which  played 
round  the  submarine  boat  like  a  magnificent  phenomenon 
of  phosphorence.  After  shutting  my  eyes  involuntarily, 
I  opened  them,  and  saw  that  this  luminous  agent  came 
from  a  half-globe,  unpolished,  placed  in  the  roof  of  the 
cabin. 

**  At  last  one  can  see,"  cried  Ned  Land,  who,  knife  in 
hand,  stood  on  the  defensive. 

"  Yes,"  said  I;  **but  we  are  still  in  the  dark  about  our- 
selves." 

"  Let  master  have  patience,"  said  the  imperturbable 
Conseil. 

The  sudden  lighting  of  the  cabin  enabled  us  to  examine 
it  minutely.  It  only  contained  a  table  and  five  stools.  The 
invisible  door  might  be  hermetically  sealed.  No  noise  was 
heard.  All  seemed  dead  in  the  interior  of  this  boat.  Did 
it  move,  did  it  float  on  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  or  did  it 
dive  into  its  depths?    I  could  not  guess. 

A  noise  of  bolts  was  now  heard,  the  door  opened,  and  two 
men  appeared. 

One  was  short,  very  muscular,  broad-shouldered,  with 
robust  limbs,  strong  head,  an  abundance  of  black  hair, 
tliick  mustache,  a  quick  penetrating  look,  and  the  vivacity 
which  characterizes. the  population  of  Southern  France. 

The  second  stranger  merits  a  more  detailed  description. 
A  disciple  of  Gratiolet  or  Engel  would  have  read  his  face 
like  an  open  book.  I  made  out  his  prevailing  qualities 
directly:  self-confidence — because  his  head  was  well  set  on 
his  shoulders,  and  his  black  eyes  looked  around  with  cold 
assurance;  calmness — for  his  skin,  rather  pale,  showed  his 
coolness  of  blood;  energy — evinced  by  the  rapid  contrac- 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEU    THE    SEAS.  41 

tion  of  his  lofty  brows;  and  courage — because  his  deep 
breathing  denoted  great  power  of  lungs. 

Whether  this  person  was  thirty-five  or  fifty  years  of  age, 
I  could  not  say.  He  was  tall,  had  a  large  forehead,  straight 
nose,  a  clearly  cut  mouth,  beautiful  teeth,  with  fine  taper 
hands,  indicative  of  a  high  nervous  temperament.  This 
man  was  certainly  the  most  admirable  specimen  I  had  ever 
met.  One  particular  feature  was  his  eyes,  rather  far  from 
each  other,  and  which  could  take  in  nearly  a  quarter  of 
the  horizon  at  once. 

This  faculty — (I  verified  it  later) — -gave  him  a  range  of 
vision  far  superior  to  Ned  Land's.  When  this  stranger 
fixed  upon  an  object  his  eyebrows  met,  his  large  eyelids 
closed  around  so  as  to  contract  the  range  of  his  vision,  and 
he  looked  as  if  he  magnified  the  objects  lessened  by  dis- 
tance, as  if  he  pierced'  those  sheets  of  water  so  opaque  to 
our  eyes,  and  as  if  he  read  the  very  depths  of  the  seas. 

The  two  strangers,  with  caps  made  from  the  fur  of  the 
sea  otter  and  shod  with  sea  boots  of  seals'  skin,  were 
dressed  in  clothes  of  a  particular  texture,  which  allowed 
free  movement  of  the  limbs.  The  taller  of  the  two,  evi- 
dently the  chief  on  board,  examined  us  with  great  atten- 
tion, without  saying  a  word;  then  turning  to  his  compan- 
ion, talked  with  him  in  an  unknown  tongue.  It  was  a 
sonorous,  harmonious,  and  flexible  dialect,  the  vowels 
seeming  to  admit  of  very  varied  accentuation. 

The  other  replied  by  a  shake  of  the  head,  and  added 
two  or  three  perfectly  incomprehensible  words.  Then  he 
seemed  to  question  me  by  a  look. 

I  replied  in  good  French  that  I  did  not  know  his  lan- 
guage, but  he  seemed  not  to  understand  me,  and  my  sit- 
uation became  more  embarrassing. 

"  If  master  were  to  tell  our  story,"  said  Conseil,  "per- 
haps these  gentlemen  may  understand  some  words." 

I  began  to  tell  our  adventures,  articulating  each  syllable 
clearly,  and  without  omitting  one  single  detail.  I  an- 
nounced our  names  and  rank,  introducing  in  person  Pro- 
fessor Aronnax,  his  servant  Conseil,  and  Master  Ned  Land, 
the  harpoon er. 

The  man  with  the  soft  calm  eyes  listened  to  me  quietly, 
even  politely,  and  with  extreme  attention;  but  nothing  in 
his  countenance  indicated  that  he  understood  my  story. 
When  I  finished  he  said  not  a  word. 


43  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

There  remained  one  resource,  to  speak  English.  Per- 
haps they  would  know  this  almost  universal  language. 
I  knew  it,  as  well  as  the  German  language — well  enough 
to  read  it  fluently,  but  not  to  speak  it  correctly.  But, 
anyhow,  we  must  make  ourselves  understood, 

"Go  on  in  your  turn,"  I  said  to  the  harpooner;  ** speak 
your  best  Anglo-Saxon,  and  try  to  do  better  than  I." 

Ned  did  not  beg  off,  and  recommenced  our  story. 

To  his  great  disgust,  the  harpooner  did  not  seem  to 
have  made  himself  more  intelligible  than  I  had.  Our 
visitors  did  not  stir.  They  evidently  understood  neither 
the  language  of  Arago  nor  of  Faraday. 

Very  much  embarrassed,  after  having  vainly  exhausted 
our  philological  resources,  I  knew  not  what  part  to  take, 
when  Conseil  said: 

"  Tf  master  will  permit  me,  I  will  relate  it  in  German." 

But  in  spite  of  the  elegant  turns  and  good  accent  of 
the  narrator,  the  German  language  had  no  success.  At 
last,  non-plussed,  I  tried  to  remember  my  first  lessons, 
and  to  narrate  our  adventures  in  Latin,  but  with  no  better 
success.  This  last  attempt  being  of  no  avail,  the  two 
strangers  exchanged  some  words  in  their  unknown  lan- 
guage, and  retired.     The  door  shut. 

**  It  is  an  infamous  shame,"  cried  Ned  Land,  who  broke 
out  for  the  twentieth  time;  "we  speak  to  those  rogues  in 
French,  English,  German,  and  Latin,  and  not  one  of  them 
has  the  politeness  to  answer!" 

"Calm  yourself,"  I  said  to  the  impetuous  Ned,  "anger 
will  do  no  good." 

"  But  do  you  see,  Professor,"  replied  our  irascible  com- 
panion, "  that  we  shall  absolutely  die  of  hunger  in  this 
iron  cage?" 

"Bah,"  said  Conseil,  philosophically;  "we  can  hold 
out  some  time  yet." 

"  My  friends,"  I  said,  "  we  must  not  despair.  AVe 
have  been  worse  off  than  this.  Do  me  the  favor  to  wait 
a  little  before  forming  an  opinion  upon  the  commander 
and  crew  of  this  boat." 

"  My  opinion  is  formed,"  replied  Ned  Land,  sharply, 
"  They  are  rascals." 

'"'Good!  and  from  what  country?" 

*'  From  the  land  of  rogues!" 

"My  dear  Ned,  that  country  is  not  clearly  indicated  on 


30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS.  43 

the  map  of  the  world;  but  I  admit  that  the  nationality  of 
the  two  strangers  is  hard  to  determine.  Neither  English, 
French,  nor  German,  that  is  quite  certain.  However,  I 
am  inclined  to  think  that  the  commander  and  his  compa- 
nion were  born  in  low  latitudes.  There  is  southern  blood 
in  them.  But  I  cannot  decide  by  their  appearance 
whether  they  are  Spaniards,  Turks,  Arabians,  or  Indians. 
As  to  their  language,  it  is  quite  incomprehensible." 

"  There  is  the  disadvantage  of  not  knowing  all  lan- 
guages," said  Conseil,  "  or  the  disadvantage  of  not  having 
one  universal  language." 

As  he  said  these  words,  the  door  opened.  A  steward 
entered.  He  brought  us  clothes,  coats,  and  trousers,  made 
of  a  stuff  I  did  not  know.  I  hastened  to  dress  myself,  and 
my  companions  followed  my  example.  During  that  time, 
the  steward — dumb,  perhaps  deaf — had  arranged  the  table 
and  laid  three  plates. 

"  This  is  something  like,"  said  Conseil. 

**  Bah!"  said  the  rancorous  harpooner,  *' what  do  you 
suppose  they  eat  here?  Tortoise  liver,  filleted^  shark, 
and  beefsteaks  from  sea-dogs." 

*' We  shall  see,"  said  Conseil. 

The  dishes,  of  bell-metal,  were  placed  on  the  table,  and 
we  took  our  places.  Undoubtedly  we  had  to  do  with  civ- 
ilized people,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  electric  light 
which  flooded  us,  I  could  have  fancied  I  was  in  the  dining- 
room  of  the  Adelphi  Hotel  at  Liverpool,  or  at  the  Grand 
Hotel  in  Paris.  I  must  say,  however,  that  there  was 
neither  bread  nor  wine.  The  water  was  fresh  and  clear, 
but  it  was  water,  and  did  not  suit  Ned  Land's  taste. 
Amongst  the  dishes  which  were  brought  to  us,  I  recog- 
nized several  fish  delicately  dressed;  but  of  some,  although 
excellent,  I  could  give  no  opinion,  neither  could  I  tell  to 
what  kingdom  they  belonged,  whether  animal  or  vegeta- 
ble. As  to  the  dinner  service,  it  was  elegant,  and  in 
perfect  taste.  Each  utensil,  spoon,  fork,  knife,  plate,  had  a 
letter  engraved  on  it,  with  a  motto  above  it,  of  which  this 
is  an  exact  fac-simile: 

MOBILIS  IN  MOBILI. 

N. 
The  letter  N.  was  no  doubt  the  initial  of  the  name  of 
the  enigmatical  person  who  commanded  at  the  bottom  of 
the  seas. 


44  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

Ned  and  Conseil  did  not  reflect  much.  They  devoured 
the  food,  and  I  did  likewise.  I  was,  besides,  reassured  as 
to  our  fate;  and  it  seemed  evident  that  our  hosts  would 
not  let  us  die  of  want. 

However,  everything  has  an  end,  every  thing  passes  away, 
even  the  hunger  of  people  who  have  not  eaten  for  fifteen 
hours.  Our  appetites  satisfied,  we  felt  overcome  with 
sleep. 

**  Faith!  I  shall  sleep  well,"  said  Conseil. 

"  So  shall  I,"  replied  Ned  Land. 

My  two  companions  stretched  themselves  on  the  cabin 
carpet,  and  were  soon  sound  asleep.  For  my  own  part, 
too  many  thoughts  crowded  my  brain,  too  many  insoluble 
questions  pressed  upon  me,  too  many  fancies  kept  my  eyes 
half  open.  Where  were  we?  What  strange  power  carried 
us  on?  I  felt — or  rather  I  fancied  I  felt — the  machine 
sinking  down  to  the  lowest  beds  of  the  sea.  Dreadful 
nightmares  beset  me;  I  saw  in  these  mysterious  asylums  a 
world  of  unknown  animals,  amongst  which  this  submarine 
boat  seemed  to  be  of  the  same  kind,  living,  moving,  and 
formidable  as  they.  Then  my  brain  grew  calmer,  my  im- 
agination wandered  into  vague  unconsciousness,  and  I  soon 
fell  into  a  deep  sleep. 


CHAPTEK  IX. 

NED   land's   tempers. 

How  long  we  slept,  I  do  not  know;  but  our  sleep  must 
have  lasted  long,  for  it  rested  us  completely  from  our  fa- 
tigues. I  woke  first.  My  companions  had  not  moved, 
and  were  still  stretched  in  their  corner. 

Hardly  roused  from  my  somewhat  hard  couch,  I  felt  my 
brain  freed,  my  mind  clear,  I  then  began  an  attentive 
examination  of  our  cell.  Nothing  was  changed  inside. 
The  prison  was  still  a  prison;  the  prisoners,  prisoners. 
However,  the  steward,  during  our  sleep,  had  cleared  the 
table.  I  breathed  with  diflBculty.  The  heavy  air  seemed 
to  oppress  my  lungs.  Although  the  cell  was  large,  we  had 
evidently  consumed  a  great  part  of  the  oxygen  that  it  con- 
tained. Indeed,  each  man  consumes,  in  one  hour,  the 
oxygen  contained  in  more  than  176  pints  of  air,  and  this 
air,  charged  (as  then)  with  a  nearly  equal  quantity  of  car- 
bonio  acid,  becomes  unbreathable. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UllDER    THE    SEAS.  45 

It  became  necessary  to  renew  the  atmosphere  of  our 
prison,  and  no  doubt  the  whole  in  the  submarine  boat. 
That  gave  rise  to  a  question  in  my  mind.  How  would  the 
commander  of  this  floating  dwelling-place  proceed?  Would 
he  obtain  air  by  chemical  means,  in  getting  by  heat  the 
oxygen  contained  in  chlorate  of  potassa,  and  in  absorbing 
carbonic  acid  by  caustic  potash?  Or,  a  more  convenient, 
economical,  and  consequently  more  probable  alternative, 
would  he  be  satisfied  to  rise  and  take  breath  at  the  surface 
of  the  water,  like  a  cetacean,  and  so  renew  for  twenty-four 
hours  the  atmospheric  provision? 

In  fact,  I  was  already  obliged  to  increase  my  respirations 
to  eke  out  of  this  cell  the  little  oxygen  it  contained,  when 
suddenly  I  was  refreshed  by  a  current  of  pure  air,  and 
perfumed  with  saline  emanations.  It  was  an  invigorating 
sea  breeze,  charged  with  iodine.  I  opened  my  mouth 
wide,  and  my  lungs  saturated  themselves  with  fresh  par- 
ticles. 

At  the  same  time  I  felt  the  boat  rolling.  The  iron-plated 
monster  had  evidently  just  risen  to  the  surface  of  the 
ocean  to  breathe,  after  the  fashion  of  whales.  I  found  out 
from  that  the  mode  of  ventilating  the  boat. 

When  I  had  inhaled  this  air  freely,  I  sought  the  con- 
duit-pipe, which  conveyed  to  us  the  beneficial  whifE,  and 
I  was  not  long  in  finding  it.  Above  the  door  was  a  venti- 
lator, througii  which  volumes  of  fresh  air  renewed  the  im- 
poverished atmosphere  of  the  cell. 

I  was  making  my  observations,  when  Ned  and  Conseil 
awoke  almost  at  the  same  time,  under  the  influence  of  this 
reviving  air.  They  rubbed  tlieir  eyes,  stretched  them- 
selves, and  were  on  their  feet  in  an  instant. 

"  Did  master  sleep  well?"  asked  Conseil,  with  his  usual 
politeness. 

"Very  well,  my  brave  boy.     And  you,  Mr.  Land?" 

"  Soundly,  Professor.  But  I  don't  know  if  I  am  right 
or  not;  there  seems  to  be  a  sea  breeze!" 

A  seaman  could  not  be  mistaken,  and  I  told  the  Can- 
adian all  that  had  passed  during  his  sleep. 

"  Good!"  said  he;  *'  that  accounts  for  those  roarings  we 
heard  when  the  supposed  narwhal  sighted  the  Abraham 
Lincoln." 

"Quite  so,  Master  Land;  it  was  taking  breath." 


46  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEK    THE    SEAS. 

"  Only,  Mr.  Arronnax,  I  have  no  idea  what  o'clock  it 
is,  unless  it  is  dinner-time." 

"  Dinner-time!  my  good  fellow?  Say  rather  breakfast- 
time,  for  we  certainly  have  begun  another  day." 

"  So,"  said  Conseil,  "  we  have  slept  twenty-four  hours?" 

"  That  is  my  opinion." 

"I  will  not  contradict  you,"  replied  Ned  Land.  *'  But 
dinner  or  breakfast,  the  steward  will  be  welcome,  which- 
ever he  brings." 

"  Master  Land,  we  must  conform  to  the  rules  on  board, 
and  I  suppose  our  appetites  are  in  advance  of  the  dinner 
hour." 

"That  is  just  like  you,  friend  Conseil,"  said  Ned,  im- 
patiently. "  You  are  never  out  of  temper,  always  calm; 
you  would  return  thanks  before  grace,  and  die  of  hunger 
rather  than  complain!" 

Time  was  getting  on,  and  we  were  fea,rfully  hungry; 
and  this  time  the  steward  did  not  appear.  It  was  rather 
too  long  to  leave  us,  if  they  really  had  good  intentions  to- 
ward us.  Ned  Land,  tormented  by  the  cravings  of  hunger, 
got  still  more  angry;  and,  notwithstanding  his  promise,  I 
dreaded  an  explosion  when  he  found  himself  with  one  of 
the  crew. 

For  two  hours  more  Ned  Land's  temper  increased;  he 
cried,  he  shouted,  but  in  vain.  The  walls  were  deaf. 
There  was  no  sound  to  be  heard  in  the  boat;  all  was  still  as 
death.  It  did  not  move,  for  I  should  have  felt  the  trem- 
bling motion  of  the  hull  under  the  influence  of  the  screw. 
Plunged  in  the  depths  of  the  waters,  it  belonged  no  longer 
to  earth — this  silence  was  dreadful. 

I  felt  terrified,  Conseil  was  calm,  Ned  Land  roared. 

Just  then  a  noise  was  heard  outside.  Steps  sounded  on 
the  metal  flags.  The  locks  were  turned,  the  door  opened, 
and  tlie  steward  appeared. 

Before  I  could  rush  forward  to  stop  him,  the  Canadian 
had  thrown  him  down,  and  held  him  by  the  throat.  The 
steward  was  choking  under  the  grip  of  his  powerful  hand. 

Conseil  was  already  trying  to  unclasp  the  harpooner's 
hand  from  his  half-sufFocated  victim,  and  I  was  going  to 
fly  to  the  rescue,  when  suddenly  I  was  nailed  to  the  spot 
by  bearing  these  words  in  French: 

*'Be  qniet.  Master  Land:  and  you,  Professor,  will  you 
be  so  good  as  to  listen  to  me?" 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS,  47 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  MAN   OF  THE  SEAS. 

It  was  the  commander  of  the  vessel,  who  thus  spoke. 

At  these  words,  Ned  Land  rose  suddenly.  The  stew- 
ard, nearly  strangled,  tottered  out  on  a  sign  from  his 
master;  but  such  was  the  power  of  the  commander  on 
board  that  not  a  gesture  betrayed  the  resentment  which 
this  man  must  have  felt  toward  the  Canadian.  Conseil, 
interested  in  spite  of  himself,  I  stupefied,  awaited  in  si- 
lence the  result  of  this  scene. 

The  commander,  leaning  against  the  corner  of  the  table, 
with  his  arms  folded,  scanned  us  with  profound  attention. 
Did  he  hesitate  to  speak?  Did  he  regret  the  words 
which  he  had  just  spoken  in  French?  One  might  almost 
think  so. 

After  some  moments  of  silence,  which  not  one  of  'Hs 
dreamed  of  breaking,  "  Gentlemen,"  said  he,  in  a  calm 
and  penetrating  voice,  "  I  speak  French,  English^  Ger- 
man, and  Latin  equally  well.  I  could,  therefore,  have 
answered  you  at  our  first  interview,  but  I  wished  to  know 
you  first,  then  to  reflect.  The  story  told  by  each  one, 
entirely  agreeing  in  the  main  points,  convinced  me  of  your 
identity.  I  know  now  that  chance  has  brought  before  me 
M.  Pierre  Aronnax,  Professor  of  Natural  Ristory  at  the 
Museum  of  Paris,  intrusted  with  a  scientific  mission  abroad; 
Conseil,  his  servant,  and  Ned  Land,  of  Canadian  origin, 
harpooner  on  board  the  frigate  Abraham  Lincoln  of  the 
navy  of  the  United  States  of  America." 

I  bowed  assent.  It  was  not  a  question  that  the  com- 
mander put  to  me.  Therefore  there  was  no  answer  to  be 
made.  This  man  expressed  himself  with  perfect  ease, 
without  any  accent.  His  sentences  were  well  turned, 
his  words  clear,  and  his  fluency  of  speech  Kmarkable. 
Yet  I  did  not  recognize  in  him  a  fellow-countryman. 

He  continued  the  conversation  in  these  terms: 

"  You  have  doubtless  thought,  sir,  that  I  have  delayed 
long  in  paying  you  this  second  visit.  The  reason  is  that, 
your  identity  recognized,  I  wighed  to  weigh  maturely  what 
part  to  act  toward  you.     I  have  hesitated  much.      Most 


48  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

annoying  circumstances  have  brought  you  into  the  presencje 
of  a  man  who  has  broken  all  the  ties  of  humanity.  You 
have  come  to  trouble  my  existence." 

"Unintentionally!"  said  I. 

"Unintentionally?"  replied  the  stranger,  raising  his 
voice  a  little;  "  was  it  unintentionally  that  the  Abraham 
Lincoln  pursued  me  all  over  the  seas?  Was  it  uninten- 
tionally that  you  took  passage  in  this  frigate?  Was  it 
unintentionally  that  your  cannon-balls  rebounded  off  the 
plating  of  my  vessel?  Was  it  unintentionally  that  Mr. 
Ned  Land  struck  me  with  his  harpoon?" 

I  detected  a  restrained  irritation  in  these  words.  But 
to  these  recriminations  I  had  a  very  natural  answer  to 
make,  and  I  made  it. 

"Sir,"  said  I,  "  no  doubt  you  are  ignorant  of  the  dis- 
cussions which  have  taken  place  concerning  you  in  Amer- 
ica and  Europe.  You  do  not  know  that  divers  accidents, 
caused  by  collisions  with  your  submarine  machine,  have 
excited  public  feeling  in  the  two  continents.  I  omit  the 
hypotheses  without  number  by  which  it  was  sought  to 
explain  the  inexplicable  phenomenon  of  which  you  alone 
possess  the  secret.  But  you  must  understand  that,  in 
pursuing  you  over  the  high  seas  of  the  Pacific,  the  Abraham 
Lincoln  believed  itself  to  be  chasing  some  powerful  sea- 
monster,  of  which  it  was  necessary  to  rid  the  ocean  at  any 
price." 

A  half-smile  curled  the  lips  of  the  commander:  then,  in 
a  calmer  tone: 

"  M.  Aronnax,"  he  replied,  "  dare  you  affirm  that  your 
frigate  would  not  as  soon  have  pursued  and  cannonaded  a 
submarine  boat  as  a  monster?" 

This  question  embarrassed  me,  for  certainly  Captain 
Farragut  might  not  have  hesitated.  He  might  have 
thought  it  his  duty  to  destroy  a  contrivance  of  this  kind, 
as  he  would  a  gigantic  narwhal. 

"  You  understand  then,  sir,"  continued  the  stranger, 
"  that  I  have  the  right  to  treat  you  as  enemies?" 

I  answered  nothing,  purposely.  For  what  good  would 
it  be  to  discuss  such  a  proposition,  when  force  could 
destroy  the  best  arguments? 

*'  I  have  hesitated  for  some  time,"  continued  the  com- 
mander; "  nothing  obliged  me  to  show  you  hospitality. 
If  I  choose  to  separate  myself  from  you,  I  should  have  no 


20,000    LEAGUES    UJftfDER    THE    SEAS.  49 

interest  in  seeing  you  again;  I  could  place  you  upon  the 
deck  of  this  vessel  which  has  served  you  as  a  refuge.  I 
could  sink  beneath  the  waters,  and  forget  that  you  had 
ever  existed.     "Would  not  that  be  my  right?" 

*'  It  might  be  the  right  of  the  savage,  "  I  answered, 
"  but  not  that  of  a  civilized  man." 

"  Professor,"  replied  the  commander,  quickly,  "  I  am 
not  what  you  call  a  civilized  man!  I  have  done  with 
society  entirely,  for  reasons  which  I  alone  have  the  right 
of  appreciating.  I  do  not  therefoi'e  obey  its  laws,  and  I 
desire  you  never  to  allude  to  them  before  me  again!" 

This  was  said  plainly.  A  flash  of  anger  and  disdain 
kindled  in  the  eyes  of  the  Unknown,  and  I  had  a  glimpse 
of  a  terrible  past  in  the  life  of  this  man.  Not  only  iiad  he 
put  himself  beyond  the  pale  of  human  laws,  but  he  had 
made  himself  independent  of  them,  free  in  the  strictest 
acceptation  of  the  word,  quite  beyond  their  reach!  Who 
then  would  dare  to  pursue  him  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea, 
when,  on  its  surface,  he  defied  all  attempts  made  against 
him?  What  vessel  could  resist  the  shook  of  his  submarine 
monitor?  What  cuirass,  however  thick,  could  withstand 
tlie  blows  of  his  spur?  No  man  could  demand  from  him 
an  account  of  his  action;  God,  if  he  believed  in  one — his 
conscience,  if  he  had  one — were  the  sole  judges  to  whom  he 
was  answerable. 

These  reflections  crossed  my  mind  rapidly,  whilst  the 
strange  personage  was  silent,  absorbed,  and  as  if  wrapped 
up  in  himself.  I  regarded  him  with  fear  mingled  with 
interest,  as,  doubtless,  (Edipus  regarded  the  Sphinx. 

After  rather  a  long  silence,  the  commander  resumed  the 
conversation. 

"  I  have  hesitated,"  said  he,  "  but  I  have  thought  that 
my  interest  might  be  reconciled  with  that  pity  to  which 
every  human  being  has  a  right.  You  will  remain  on  board 
my  vessel,  since  fate  has  cast  you  there.  You  will  be  free; 
and  in  exchange  for  this  liberty  I  shall  only  impose  one 
single  condition.  Your  word  of  honor  to  submit  to  it  will 
suffice." 

'*  Speak,  sir,"  I  answered.  ''  I  suppose  this  condition 
is  one  which  a  man  of  honor  may  accept?" 

"  Yes,  sir;  it  is  this.  It  is  possible  that  certain  events, 
unforeseen,  may  oblige  me  to  consign  you  to  your  cabins 
for  some  hours  or  some  days,  as  the  case  may  be.     As  I 


60  20,000    LKAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS, 

desire  never  to  use  violence,  I  expecb  from  you,  more  than 
all  the  others,  a  passive  obedience.  In  thus  acting,  I  take 
all  the  responsibility;  I  acquit  you  entirely,  for  I  make  it 
an  impossibility  for  you  to  see  what  ought  not  to  be  seen. 
Do  you  accept  this  condition?" 

Then  things  took  place  on  board  which,  to  say  the  least, 
were  singular,  and  which  ought  not  to  be  seen  by  people 
who  were  not  placed  beyond  the  pale  of  social  laws. 
Amongst  tlie  surprises  which  the  future  was  preparing  for 
me,  tiiis  might  not  be  the  least. 

"We  accept,"  I  answered;  "only  I  will  ask  your 
permission,  sir,  to  address  one  question  to  you — one 
only." 

"Speak,  sir." 

"You  said  that  we  should  be  free  on  board." 

"  Entirely." 

"  I  ask  you,  then,  what  you  mean  b.  this  liberty?" 

"Just  the  liberty  to  go,  to  come,  to  see,  to  observe  evefi 
all  that  passes  here — save  under  rare  circumstances — the 
liberty,  in  short,  which  we  enjoy  ourselves,  my  companions 
and  L" 

It  was  evident  that  we  did  not  understand  one  another. 

'^Pardon  me,  sir,"  I  resumed,  "but  this  liberty  is  only 
what  every  prisoner  has  of  pacing  his  prison.  It  cannot 
sufl&ce  us." 

"It  must  suflBce  you,  however." 

"  What!  we  must  renounce  forever  seeing  our  country, 
our  friends,  our  relations  again?" 

"Yes,  sir.  But  to  renounce  that  unendurable  worldly 
yoke  which  men  believe  to  be  liberty  is  not,  perhaps,  so 
painful  as  you  think." 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  Ned  Land,  "  never  will  I  give  my 
word  of  honor  not  to  try  to  escape." 

"I  did  not  ask  you  for  your  word  of  honor,  Master 
Land,"  answered  the  commander,  coldly. 

"  Sir,"  I  replied,  beginning,  to  get  angry  in  spite  of 
myself,  "you  abuse  your  situation  toward  us;  it  is 
cruelty." 

"  No,  sir,  it  is  clemency.  You  are  my  prisoners  of  war. 
I  keep  you,  when  I  could,  by  a  word,  plunge  you  into  th# 
depths  of  the  ocean.  You  attacked  me.  You  came  to 
surprise  a  secret  which  no  man  in  the  world  mucl  pene- 
trate— the  secret  of  my  whole  existence.     And  you  think 


20,000    LEAGUES    gKDER    THE    SEAS.  51 

that  I  am  going  to  send  you  back  to  that  world  which 
must  know  me  no  more?  Never!  In  retaining  you  it  is 
not  you  whom  I  guard — it  is  myself." 

These  words  indicated  a  resolution  taken  on  the  part 
of  the  commander,  against  which  no  arguments  would 
prevail. 

"  So,  sir,"  I  rejoined,  "  you  give  us  simply  the  choice 
between  life  and  death?" 

"  Simply." 

"  My  friends,"  said  I,  *'to  a  question  thus  put,  there  is 
Dothing  to  answer.  But  no  word  of  honor  binds  us  to  the 
master  of  this  vessel." 

"None,  sir,"  answered  the  Unknown. 

Then,  in  a  gentler  tone,  he  continued: 

*'  Now,  permit  me  to  finish  what  I  have  to  say  to  you. 
I  know  you,  M.  Aronnax.  You  and  your  companions 
will  not,  perhaps,  have  so  much  to  complain  of  in  the 
chance  which  has  bound  you  to  my  fate.  You  will  find 
amongst  the  books  wlwch  are  my  favorite  study  the  work 
which  you  have  published  on  'the  depths  of  the  sea.'  I 
have  often  read  it.  You  have  carried  your  work  as  far  as 
terrestrial  science  permitted  you.  But  you  do  not  know 
all — you  have  not  seen  all.  Let  me  tell  you  then,  Pro- 
fessor, that  you  will  not  regret  the  time  passed  on  board 
my  vessel.      You  are  going  to  visit  the  land  of  marvels." 

These  words  of  the  commander  had  a  great  effect  upon 
me.  I  cannot  deny  it.  My  weak  point  was  touched;  and 
I  forgot,  for  a  moment,  that  the  contemplation  of  these 
sublime  subjects  was  not  worth  the  loss  of  liberty.  Be- 
sides, I  trusted  to  the  future  to  decide  this  grave  question. 
So  I  contented  myself  with  saying: 

"  By  what  name  ought  I  to  address  you?" 

"  Sir,"  replied  the  commander,  "  I  am  nothing  to  yon 
but  Captain  Nemo;  and  you  and  your  companions  are 
nothing  to  me  but  the  passengers  of  the  Nautilus." 

Captain  Nemo  called.  A  steward  appeared.  The  cap- 
tain gave  him  his  orders  in  that  strange  language  which  I 
did  not  understand.  Then,  turning  toward  the  Canadian 
and  Conseil: 

"  A  repast  awaits  you  in  your  cabin,"  said  he.  "  Be  so 
good  as  to  follow  this  man. 

"And  now,  M.  Aronnax,  our  breakfast  is  ready.  Per- 
mit me  to  lead  the  way." 


52  30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

"I  am  at  your  service,  Captain." 

I  followed  Captain  Nemo;  and  as  soon  as  I  had  passed 
through  the  door,  I  found  myself  in  a  kind  of  passage 
lighted  by  electricity,  similar  to  the  waist  of  a  ship.  After 
we  had  proceeded  a  dozen  yards,  a  second  door  opened 
before  me. 

I  then  entered  a  dining-room,  decorated  and  furnished 
in  severe  taste.  High  oaken  sideboards,  inlaid  with  ebony, 
stood  at  the  two  extremities  of  the  room,  and  upon  their 
shelves  glittered  china,  porcelain,  and  glass  of  inestimable 
value.  The  plate  on  the  table  sparkled  in  the  rays  which 
the  luminous  ceiling  shed  around,  while  the  light  was 
tempered  and  softened  by  exquisite  paintings. 

In  the  center  of  the  room  was  a  table  richly  laid  out. 
Captain  Nemo  indicated  the  place  I  was  to  occupy. 

The  breakfast  consisted  of  a  certain  number  of  dishes, 
the  contents  of  which  were  furnished  by  the  sea  alone; 
and  I  was  ignorant  of  the  nature  and  mo3e  of  preparation 
of  some  of  them.  I  acknowledged  that  they  were  good, 
but  they  had  a  peculiar  flavor,  which  I  easily  became  ac- 
customed to.  These  different  aliments  appeared  to  me  to 
be  rich  in  phosphorus,  and  I  thought  they  must  have  a 
marine  origin. 

Captain  Nemo  looked  at  me.  I  asked  him  no  questions, 
but  he  guessed  my  thoughts,  and  answered  of  his  own  ac- 
cord the  questions  which  I  was  burning  to  address  to  him. 

*'  The  greater  part  of  these  dishes  are  unknown  to  you," 
he  said  to  me.  "  However,  you  may  partake  of  them 
without  fear.  They  are  wholesome  and  nourishing.  For 
a  long  time  I  have  renounced  the  food  of  the  earth,  and  I 
am  never  ill  now.  My  crew,  who  are  healthy,  are  fed  on 
the  same  food." 

''  So,"  said  I,  *^all  these  eatables  are  the  produce  of  the 
sea?" 

'*  Yes,  Professor,  the  sea  supplies  all  my  wants.  Some- 
times I  cast  my  nets  in  tow,  and  I  draw  them  in  ready  to 
break.  Sometimes  I  hunt  in  the  midst  of  this  element, 
which  appears  to  be  inaccessible  to  man,  and  quarry  the 
game  which  dwells  in  my  submarine  forests.  My  flocks, 
like  those  of  Neptune's  old  shepherds,  graze  fearlessly  in 
the  immense  prairies  of  the  ocean.  I  have  a  vast  property 
there,  which  I  cultivate  myself,  and  which  is  always  sown 
by  the  hand  of  the  Creator  of  all  things." 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  58 

"  I  can  understand  perfectly,  sir,  that  your  nets  furnish 
excellent  fish  for  your  table;  I  can  understand  also  that 
you  hunt  aquatic  game  in  your  submarine  forests;  but  I 
cannot  understand  at  all  how  a  particle  of  meat,  no  mat- 
ter how  small,  can  figure  in  your  bill  of  fare." 

"  This,  which  you  believe  to  be  meat,  Professor,  is 
nothing  else  than  fillet  of  turtle.  Here  are  also  some  dol- 
phins' livers,  which  you  take  to  be  ragout  of  pork.  My 
cook  is  a  clever  fellow,  who  excels  in  dressing  these  various 
products  of  the  ocean.  Taste  all  these  dishes.  Here  is  a 
preserve  of  holothuria,  which  a  Malay  would  declare  to  be 
unrivaled  in  the  world;  here  is  a  cream,  of  which  the  milk 
has  been  furnished  by  the  cetacea,  and  the  sugar  by  the 
great  fucus  of  the  North  Sea;  and  lastly,  permit  me  to 
offer  you  some  preserve  of  anemones,  which  is  equal  to 
that  of  the  most  delicious  fruits." 

I  tasted,  more  from  curiosity  than  as  a  connoisseur, 
whilst  Captain  Nemo  enchanted  me  with  his  extraor- 
dinary stories. 

"You  like  the  sea.  Captain?" 

"Yes,  I  love  it.  The  sea  is  everything.  It  covers 
seven-tenths  of  the  terrestrial  globe.  Its  breath  is  pure 
and  Ixealthy.  It  is  an  immense  desert,  where  man  is  never 
lonely,  for  he  feels  Jife  stirring  on  all  sides.  The  sea  is 
only  the  embodiment  of  a  supernatural  and  wonderful 
existence.  It  is  nothing  but  love  and  emotion;  it  is  the 
'  Living  Infinite,'  as  one  of  your  poets  has  said.  In  fact, 
Professor,  Nature  manifests  herself  in  it  by  her  three 
kingdoms,  mineral,  vegetable,  and  animal.  The  sea  is 
the  vast  reservoir  of  Nature.  The  globe  began  with  sea, 
so  to  speak;  and  who  knows  if  it  will  not  end  with  it? 
In  it  is  supreme  tranquillity.  The  sea  does  not  belong  to 
despots.  Upon  its  surface  men  can  still  exercise  unjnst 
laws,  fight,  tear  one  another  to  pieces,  and  be  carried  away 
with  terrestrial  horrors.  But  at  thirty  feet  below  its 
level,  their  reign  ceases,  their  influence  is  quenched,  and 
their  power  disappears.  Ah!  sir,  live — live  in  the  bosom 
of  the  waters!  There  only  is  independence.  There  I 
recognize  no  masters!    There  I  am  free!" 

Captain  Nemo  suddenly  became  silent  in  the  midst  of 
this  enthusiasm,  by  which  he  was  quite  carried  away.  For 
a  few  moments  he  paced  up  and  down,   much  agitated. 


54  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

Then  he  became  more  calm,  regained  his  accustomed  cold- 
ness of  expression,  and  turning  toward  me: 

"  Now,  Professor,"  said  he,  "  if  you  wish  to  go  over  the 
Nautilus,  I  am  at  your  service." 

Captain  Nemo  rose.  I  followed  him.  A  double  door, 
contrived  at  the  back  of  the  dining-room,  opened,  and  I 
entered  a  room  equal  in  dimensions  to  that  which  I  had 
just  quitted. 

It  was  a  library.  High  pieces  of  furniture,  of  black 
violet  ebony  inlaid  with  brass,  supported  upon  their  wide 
shelves  a  great  number  of  books  uniformly  bound.  They 
followed  the  shape  of  the  room,  terminating  at  the  lower 
part  in  huge  divans,  covered  with  brown  leather,  which 
were  curved,  to  afford  the  greatest  comfort.  Light  mov- 
able desks,  made  to  slide  in  and  out  at  will,  allowed  one  to 
rest  one's  book  while  reading.  In  the  center  stood  an 
immense  table,  covered  with  pamplilets,  amongst  which 
were  some  newspapers,  already  of  old  date.  The  electric 
light  flooded  everything;  it  was  shed  from  four  unpolished 
globes  half  sunk  in  the  volutes  of  the  ceiling.  I  looked 
with  real  admiration  at  this  room,  so  ingeniously  fitted  up, 
and  I  could  scarcely  believe  my  eyes. 

"  Captain  Nemo,"  said  I  to  my  host,  who  had  just 
thrown  himself  on  one  of  the  divans,  "this  is  a  library 
Avhich  would  do  honor  to  more  than  one  <5"f  the  continental 
palaces,  and  I  am  absolutely  astounded  when  I  consider 
that  it  can  follow  you  to  the  bottom  of  the  seas." 

*' Where  could  one  find  greater  solitude  or  silence. 
Professor?"  replied  Captain  Nemo.  "  Did  your  study  in 
the  Musuem  afford  you  such  perfect  quiet?" 
-  "  No,  sir;  and  I  must  confess  that  it  is  a  very  poor  one 
after  yours.  You  must  have  six  or  seven  thousand  volumes 
here." 

'^  Twelve  thousand,  M.  Aronnax.  These  are  the  onlf 
ties  which  bind  me  to  the  earth.  But  I  had  done  with  tho 
world  on  the  day  when  my  Nautilus  plunged  for  the  first 
time  beneath  the  waters.  That  day  I  bought  my  last 
volumes,  my  last  pamphlets,  my  last  papers,  and  front 
that  time  I  wish  to  think  that  men  no  longer  think  or 
write.  These  books.  Professor,  are  at  your  service  besides, 
and  you  can  make  use  of  them  freely." 

I  thanked  Captain  Nemo,  and  went  up  to  the  shelves  of 
the    library.     Works  on   science,  morals  and  literature 


JJOjOOO    LEAGUES    UN'DER    THE    SEAS.  55 

abounded  in  every  language;  but  I  did  not  see  one  single 
work  on  political  economy;  that  subject  appeared  to  be 
strictly  proscribed.  Strange  to  say,  these  books  were  irreg- 
ularly arranged,  in  whatever  language  they  were  written; 
and  this  medley  proved  that  the  captain  of  the  Nautilus 
must  have  read  indiscriminately  the  books  which  he  took 
up  by  chance. 

"  Sir,"  said  I  to  the  captain,  "1  thank  you  for  having 
placed  this  library  at  my  disposal.  It  contains  treasures 
of  science,  and  I  shall  profit  by  them.*' 

"  This  room  is  not  only  a  library,"  said  Captain  Nemo, 
''  it  is  also  a  smoking-room." 

"A  smoking-room!"  I  cried.  ** Then  one  may  smoke 
on  board?" 

"Certainly." 

"  Then,  sir,  I  am  forced  to  believe  that  you  have  kept 
up  a  communication  with  Havana." 

" Not  any,"  answered  the  captain.  "Accept  this  cigar, 
M.  Aronnax;  and  though  it  does  not  come  from  Havana, 
you  will  be  pleased  with  it,  if  you  are  a  connoisseur." 

I  took  the  cigar  which  was  offered  me;  its  shape  re- 
called the  London  ones,  but  it  seemed  to  be  made  of  leaves 
of  gold.  I  lighted  it  at  a  little  brazier,  which  was  sup- 
ported upon  an  elegant  bronze  stem,  and  drew  the  first 
whiffs  with  the  delight  of  a  lover  of  smoking  who  has  not 
smoked  for  two  days. 

"It  is  excellent,"  said  I,  "but  it  is  not  tobacco." 

"No!"  answered  the  captain,  "this  tobacco  comes 
neither  from  Havana  nor  from  the  East.  It  is  a  kind  of 
sea-weed,  rich  in  nicotine,  with  which  the  sea  ;provides 
me,  but  somewhat  sparingly." 

At  that  moment  Captain  Nemo  opened  a  door  which 
stood  opposite  to  that  by  which  I  had  entered  the  library, 
and  I  passed  into  an  immense  drawing-room,  splendidly 
lighted. 

It  was  a  vast  four- sided  room,  thirty  feet  long,  eighteen 
wide,  and  fifteen  high.  A  luminous  ceiling,  decorated 
with  light  arabesques,  shed  a  soft  clear  light  over  all  the 
marvels  accumulated  in  this  museum.  For  it  was  in  fact 
a  museum,  in  which  an  intelligent  and  prodigal  hand  had 
gathered  all  the  treasures  of  nature  and  art,  with  artistic 
confusion  which  distinguishes  a  painter's  studio.  Thirty 
first-rate  pictures,  uniformly  framed,  separated  by  bright 


66  30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

drapery,  ornamented  the  walls,  wliieh  were  hung  with 
tapestry  of  severe  design.  I  saw  works  of  great  value,  the 
greater  part  of  which  I  had  admired  in  tlie  special  collec- 
tions of  Europe,  and  in  the  exhibitions  of  paintings.  The 
several  schools  of  the  old  masters  were  represented  by  a 
Madonna  of  Raphael,  a  Virgin  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  a 
nymph  of  Oorreggio,  a  woman  of  Titian,  an  Adoration  of 
Veronese,  an  Assumption  of  Murillo,  a  portrait  of  Hol- 
bein, a  monk  of  Velasquez,  a  martyr  of  Eibeira,  a  fair  of 
Rubens,  two  Flemish  landscapes  of  Teniers,  three  little 
''genre"  pictures  of  Gerard  Dow,  Metsu  and  Paul  Potter, 
two  specimens  of  Gericault  and  Prudhon,  and  some  sea- 
pieces  of  Backhuyser  and  Vernet.  Amongst  the  works 
of  modern  painters  were  pictures  with  the  signatures  of 
Delacroix,  Ingress,  Decamp,  Troyon,  Meissonnier,  Dau- 
bigny,  etc.;  and  some  admirable  statues  in  marble  and 
bronze,  after  the  finest  antique  models,  stood  upon  pedes- 
tals in  the  corners  of  this  magnificent  museum.  Amaze- 
ment, as  the  captain  of  the  Nautilus  had  predicted,  had 
already  begun  to  take  possession  of  me. 

"  Professor,"  said  this  strange  man,  "you  must  excuse 
the  unceremonious  way  in  which  I  receive  you,  and  the 
disorder  of  this  room." 

"  Sir,"  I  answered,  "  without  seeking  to  know  who  you 
are,  I  recognize  in  you  an  artist." 

"An  amateur,  nothing  more,  sir.  Formerly  I  loved  to 
collect  these  beautiful  works  created  by  the  hand  of  man. 
I  sought  them  greedily  and  ferreted  them  out  indefati- 
gably,  and  I  have  been  able  to  bring  together  some  objects 
of  great  value.  These  are  my  last  souvenirs  of  that  world 
which  is  dead  to  me.  In  my  eyes,  your  modern  artists 
are  already  old;  they  have  two  or  three  thousand  years  of 
existence;  I  confound  them  in  my  own  mind.  Masters 
have  no  age." 

"And  these  musicians?"  said  I,  pointing  out  some 
works  of  Weber,  Rossini,  Mozart,  Beethoven,  Haydn, 
Meyerbeer,  Herold,  Wagner,  Auber,  Gounod,  and  a  num- 
ber of  others  scattered  over  a  large  model  piano  organ 
which  occupied  one  of  the  panels  of  the  drawing-room. 

"  These  musicians,"  replied  Captain  Nemo,  "  are  the  con- 
temporaries of  Orpheus,  for  in  the  memory  of  the  dead  all 
chronological  differences  are  effaced:  and  lam  dead.  Pro- 


30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  57 

feasor;  as  much  dead  as  those  of  your  friends  who  are  sleep- 
ing six  feet  under  the  earth!" 

Captain  Nemo  was  silent,  and  seemed  lost  in  profound 
revery.  I  contemplated  him  with  deep  interest,  analyzing 
in  silence  the  strange  expression  of  his  countenance.  Lean- 
ing on  his  elbow  against  an  angle  of  a  costly  mosaic  table, 
he  no  longer  saw  me — he  had  forgotten  my  presence, 

I  did  not  disturb  this  revery,  and  continued  my  ob- 
servation of  the  curiosities  which  enriched  this  drawing- 
room. 

Under  elegant  glass  cases,  fixed  by  copper  rivets,  were 
classed  and  labeled  the  most  precious  productions  of  the 
sea  which  had  ever  been  presented  to  the  eye  of  a  natu- 
ralist.    My  delight  as  a  professor  may  be  conceived. 

The  division  containing  the  zoophytes  presented  the 
most  curious  specimens  of  the  two  groups  of  polypi  and 
ecliinoderms.  In  the  first  group,  the  tnbipores,  were 
gorgonias  arranged  like  a  fan,  soft  sponges  of  Syria,  ises  of 
the  Moluccas,  pennatules,  an  admirable  virgularia  of  the 
Norwegian  seas,  variegated  umbellulairge,  alcyonariae,  a 
whole  series  of  madrepores,  which  my  master  Milne- Ed- 
wards has  so  cleverly  classified,  amongst  which  I  remarked 
some  wonderful  flabellinae,  oculinae  of  the  island  of  Bour- 
bon, the  "  Neptune's  car"  of  the  Antilles,  superb  varieties 
of  corals,  in  short,  every  species  of  those  curious  polypi  of 
which  entire  islands  are  formed,  which  will  one  day  be- 
come continents.  Of  the  echinoderms,  remarkable  for 
their  coating  of  spines,  asteri,  sea-stars,  pantacrinae,  coma- 
tules,  asterophons,  echini,  holothuri,  etc.,  represented  in- 
dividually a  complete  collection  of  this  group. 

A  somewhat  nervous  conchologist  would  certainly 
have  fainted  before  other  more  numerous  cases,  in  which 
were  classified  the  specimens  of  molluscs.  It  was  a  col- 
lection of  inestimable  value,  which  time  fails  me  to  de- 
scribe minutely.  Amongst  these  specimens,  I  will  quote 
from  memory  only  the  elegant  royal  hammer-fish  of  the 
Indian  Ocean,  whose  regular  white  spots  stood  out  brightly 
on  a  red  and  brown  ground,  an  imperial  spondyle,  bright 
colored,  bristling  with  spines,  a  rare  specimen  in  the  Euro- 
pean museums  (I  estimated  its  value  at  not  less  than 
£1,000);  a  common  hammer-fish  of  the  seas  of  New  Hol- 
land, which  is  only  procured  with  difficulty;  exotic  buc- 
cardia  of  Senegal;  fragile  white   bivalve  shells,  which  % 


68  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

breath  might  shatter  like  a  soap-bubble;  several  varieties 
of  the  aspirgillum  of  Java,  a  kind  of  calcareous  tube,  edged 
with  leafy  folds,  and  much  debated  by  amateurs;  a  whole 
series  of  trochi,  some  a  greenish  yellow,  found  in  the  Amer- 
ican seas,  others  a  reddish-brown,  natives  of  Australian 
waters;  others  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  remarkable  for 
their  imbricated  shell;  stellari  found  in  th>  Southern  Seas; 
and  last,  the  rarest  of  all,  the  magnificent  spur  of  New 
Zealand;  and  every  description  of  delicate  and  fragile  shells 
to  which  science  has  given  appropriate  names. 

Apart,  in  separate  compartments,  were  spread  out  chap- 
lets  of  pearls  of  the  greatest  beauty,  which  reflected  the 
electric  light  in  little  sparks  of  fire;  pink  pearls,  torn 
from  the  pinna-marina  of  the  Red  Sea;  green  pearls  of 
the  haliotyde  iris;  yellow,  blue,  and  black  pearls,  the 
curious  productions  of  the  divers  molluscs  of  every  ocean, 
and  certain  mussels  of  the  water-courses  of  the  North; 
lastly,  several  specimens  of  inestimable  value  which  had 
been  gathered  from  the  rarest  pintadines.  Some  of  these 
pearls  were  larger  than  a  pigeon's  egg,  and  were  worth  as 
much  and  more  than  that  which  the  traveler  Tavernier 
sold  to  the  Shah  of  Persia  for  three  millions,  and  sur- 
passed the  one  in  the  possession  of  the  Imam  of  Muscat, 
which  I  had  believed  to  be  unrivaled  in  the  world. 

Therefore,  to  estimate  the  value  of  this  collection  was 
simply  impossible.  Captain  Nemo  must  have  expended 
millions  in  the  acquirement  of  these  various  specimens, 
and  I  was  thinking  what  source  he  could  hav  edrawn  from, 
to  have  been  able  thus  to  gratify  his  fancy  for  collecting, 
when  I  was  interrupted  by  these  words: 

**You  are  examining  my  shells.  Professor?  Unques- 
tionably they  must  be  interesting  to  a  naturalist;  but  for 
me  they  have  a  far  greater  charm,  for  I  have  collected 
them  all  with  my  own  hands,  and  there  is  not  a  sea  on  the 
face  of  the  globe  which  has  escaped  my  researches." 

"  I  can  understand,  Captain,  the  delight  of  wandering 
about  in  the  midst  of  such  riches.  You  are  one  of  those 
who  have  collected  their  treasures  themselves.  No  museum 
in  Europe  possesses  such  a  collection  of  the  produce  of  the 
ocean.  But  if  I  exhaust  all  my  admiration  upon  it,  I 
shall  have  none  leftrfor  the  vessel  which  carries  it.  T  do 
not  wish  to  pry  into  your  secrets;  but  I  must  confess  that 
this  Nautilus,  with  the  motive  power  which  is  confined  in 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  59 

it,  the  contriyances  which  enable  it  to  be  worked,  the 
powerful  agent  which  propels  it,  all  excite  my  curiosity 
to  the  highest  pitdi.  I  see  suspended  on  the  walls  of  this 
roorn-instruments  of  whose  use  I  am  ignorant." 

"You  will  find  these  same  instruments  in  my  own 
room.  Professor,  where  I  shall  have  much  pleasure  in  ex- 
plaining their  use  to  you.  But  first  come  and  inspect  the 
cabin  which  is  set  apart  for  your  own  use.  You  must  see 
how  you  will  be  accommodated  on  board  the  Nautilus." 

I  followed  Captain  Nemo,  who,  by  one  of  the  doors 
opening  from  each  panel  of  the  drawing-room,  regained 
the  waist.  He  conducted  me  toward  the  bow,  and  there 
I  found,  not  a  cabin,  but  an  elegant  room,  with  a  bed, 
dressing-table,  and  several  other  pieces  of  furniture. 

I  could  only  thank  my  host. 

"Your  room  adjoins  mine,"  said  he,  opening  a  door, 
"  and  mine  opens  into  the  drawing-room  that  we  have 
just  quitted." 

I  entered  the  captain's  room;  it  had  a  severe,  almost  a 
monkish,  aspect.  A  small  iron  bedstead,  a  table,  some 
articles  for  the  toilet;  the  whole  lighted  by  a  skylight.  No 
comforts,  the  strictest  necessaries  only. 

Captain  Nemo  pointed  to  a  seat. 

"  Be  so  good  as  to  sit  down,"  he  said.  I  seated  myself, 
and  he  began  thus: 


CHAPTER  XI. 

ALL   BY   ELECTRICITY. 

"Sir,"  said  Captain  Nemo,  showing  me  the  instru- 
ments hanging  on  the  walls  of  his  room,  "  here  are  the 
contrivances  required  for  the  navigation  of  the  Nautilus. 
Here,  as  in  the  drawjng-room,  I  have  them  always  under 
my  eyes,  and  they  indicate  my  position  and  exact  direction 
in  the  middle  of  the  ocean.  Some  are  known  to  you,  such 
as  the  thermometer,  which  gives  the  internal  temperature 
of  the  Nautilus;  the  barometer,  which  indicates  the  weight 
ot  tne  air  and  foretells  the  changes  of  weather;  the  hy- 
drometer, which  marks  the  dryness  of  the  atmosphere;  the 
storm-glass,  the  contents  of  which,  by  decomposing,  an- 
nounce the  approach  of  tempests;  the  compass,  which 
guides  my  course;  the  sextant,  which  showis  the  latitude 


60  SO, 000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

by  the  altitude  of  the  sun;  chronometers,  by  which  I  cal- 
culate the  longitude;  and  glasses  for  day  and  night,  which 
I  use  to  examine  the  points  of  the  horizon  when  the 
Nautilus  rises  to  the  surface  of  the  waves." 

"Tiiese  are  the  usual  nautical  instruments,"  I  replied, 
**and  I  know  the  use  of  them.  But  these  others,  no 
doubt,  answer  to  the  particular  requirements  of  the  Nau- 
tilus. Tiiis  dial  with  the  movable  needle,  is  amonometer, 
is  it  not?" 

"  It  is  actually  a  monometer,  but  by  communication  with 
the  water,  whose  external  pressure  it  indicates,  it  gives 
our  depth  at  the  same  time." 

"  And  these  other  instruments,  the  use  of  which  I  can- 
not guess?" 

"  Here,  Professor,  I  ought  to  give  you  some  explanations. 
Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  listen  to  me?" 

He  was  silent  for  a  few  moments,  tlieu  he  said: 

"There  is  a  powerful  agent, -obedient,  rapid,  easy, 
which  conforms  to  every  use,  and  reigns  supreme  on  board 
my  vessel.  Everything  is  done  by  means  of  it.  It  lights 
it,  warms  it,  and  is  the  soul  of  my  mechanical  apparatus. 
This  agent  is  electricity." 

''  Electricity?"  I  cried,  in  surprise. 

*' Yes,  sir." 

"Nevertheless,  Captain,  you  possess'an extreme  rapidity 
of  movement,  which  does  not  agree  well  with  the  power  of 
electricity.  Until  now  its  dynamic  force  has  remained 
under  restraint,  and  has  only  been  able  to  produce  a  small 
amount  of  power." 

"  Professor,"  said  Captain  Nemo,  "  my  electricity  is 
not  everybody's.  You  know  what  sea-water  is  composed 
of.  In  a  thousand  grammes  are  found  96  1-2  per  cent,  of 
water,  and  about  2  2-3  per  cent,  of  chloride  of  sodium; 
then  in  a  smaller  quantfity,  chlorides  of  magnesium  and  of 
potassium,  bromide  of  magnesium,  sulphate  of  magnesia, 
sulphate  and  carbonate  of  lime.  You  see,  then,  that 
chloride  of  sodium  forms  a  large  part  of  it.  So  it  is  this 
sodium  that  I  extract  from  sea-water,  and  of  which  I 
compose  my  ingredients.  I  owe  all  to  the  ocean;  it 
produces  electricity,  anNd  electricity  gives  heat,  light,  mo- 
tion, and,  in  a  word,  life  to  the  Nautilus." 

"  But  not  the  air  your  breathe?" 

"  0,  1  could  manufacture  the  air  necessary  for  my  con- 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  61 

sumption,  but  it  is  useless,  because  I  go  up  to  the  surface 
of  the  water  when  I  ])lease.  •  However,  if  electricity  does 
not  furnish  me  with  air  to  breathe,  it  works  at  least  the 
powerful  pumps  tliat  are  stored  in  'spacious  reservoirs, 
and  whicli  enable  me  to  prolong  at  need,  and  as  long  as  I 
will,  my  stay  in  the  depths  of  the  sea.  It  gives  a  uniform 
and  unintermittent  light,  which  the  sun  does  not.  Now 
look  at  this  clock;  it  is  electrical,  and  goes  with  a  regular- 
ity that  defies  the  best  chronometers.  I  have  divided  it 
into  twenty-four  hours,  like  the  Italian  clocks,  because 
for  me  there  is  neither  niglif  nor  day,  sun  nor  moon,  but 
only  that  factitious  light  that  I  take  with  me  to  the 
bottom  of  the  sea.  Look!  just  now,  it  is  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning." 

''Exactly." 

"Another  application  of  electricity.  This  dial  hanging 
in  front  of  us  indicates  the  speed  of  the  Nautilus.  An 
electric  thread  puts  it  in  communication  with  the  screw, 
and  the  needle  indicates  the  real  speed.  Look!  now  we 
are  spinning  along  with  a  uniform  speed  of  fifteen  miles 
an  hour." 

*'  It  is  marvelous!  and  I  see,  Captain,  you  were  right  to 
make  use  of  this  agent  that  takes  the  place  of  wind,  water, 
and  steam." 

"  We  have  not  finished,  M.  Aronnax,"  said  Captain 
Nemo,  rising;  "  if  you  will  follow  me,  we  will  examine 
the  stern  of  the  Nautilus." 

Eeally,  I  knew  already  the  anterior  part  of  4,his  sub- 
marine boat,  of  which  this  is  the  exact  division,  starting 
from  the  ship's  head:  the  dining-room,  five  yards  long, 
separated  from  the  library  by  a  water-tight  partition; 
the  library,  five  yards  long;  the  large  drawing-room, 
ten  yards  long,  separated  fi-om  the  captain's  room  by 
a  second  water-tight  partition;  the  said  room,  five  yards 
in  length;  mine,  two  and  a  half  yards;  and  lastly,  a  reser- 
voir of  air,  seven  and  a  half  yards,  that  extended  to  the  bows. 
Total  length  thirty-five  yards,  or  one  hundred  and  five 
feet.  The  partitions  had  doors  that  were  shut  hermetic- 
ally by  means  of  india-rubber  instruments,  and  they  in- 
sured the  safety  of  the  Nautilus  in  case  of  a  leak. 

I  followed  Captain  Nemo  through  the  waist,  and  arrived. 
at  the  center  of  the  boat.  There  was  a  sort  of  well  that 
opened  between  two  partitions.     An  iron  ladder,  fastened 


62  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

with  an  iron  hook  to  the  partition,"  led  to  the  upper  end. 
I  asked  the  captain  what  the  ladder  was  used  for. 

"It  leads  to  the  small  boat,"  he  said. 

"What!  have  you  a  boat?"  I  exclaimed,  in  surprise. 

"Of  course;  an  excellent  vessel,  light  and  insubmer- 
sible,  that  serves  either  as  a  fishing  or  as  a  pleasure  boat." 

"  Bu*"  then,  when  you  wish  to  embark,  you  are  obliged 
to  come  to  the  surface  of  the  water?" 

"Not  at  all.  This  boat  is  attached  to  the  upper  part 
of  the  hull  of  the  Nautilus,  and  occupies  a  cavity  made 
for  it.  It  is  decked,  quite  water-tight,  and  held  together 
by  solid  bolts.  This  ladder  leads  to  a  man-hole  made  in 
the  hull  of  the  Nautilus,  that  corresponds  with  a  similar 
hole  made  in  the  side  of  the  boat.  By  this  double  opening 
I  get  into  the  small  vessel.  They  shut  the  one  belonging 
to  the  Nautilus,  I  shut  the  other  by  means  of  screw  pres- 
sure. I  undo  the  bolts,  and  the  little  boat  goes  up  to  the 
surface  of  the  sea  with  prodigious  rapidity.  I  then  open 
the  panel  of  the  bridge,  carefully  shut  till  then;  I  mast  it, 
hoist  my  sail,  take  my  oars,  and  I'm  off.** 

"  But  how  do  you  get  back  on  board?" 

"  I  do  not  come  back,  M.  Aronnax;  the  Nautilus  comes 
to  me." 

"  By  your  orders?" 

"  By  my  orders.  An  electric  thread  connects  us.  I 
telegraph  to  it,  and  that  is  enough." 

"Eeally,"  I  said,  astonished  at  these  marvels,  "nothing 
can  be  more  simple." 

After  Iiaving  passed  by  the  cage  of  the  staircase  that 
led  to  the  platform,  I  saw  a  cabin  six  feet  long,  in  which 
Conseil  and  Ned  Land,  enchanted  with  their  repast,  were 
devouring  it  with  avidity.  Then  a  door  opened  into  a 
kitchen  nine  feet  long,  situated  between  the  large  store- 
rooms. There  electricity,  better 'than  gas  itself,  did  all 
the  cooking.  The  streams  under  the  furnaces  gave  out 
to  the  sponges  of  platina  a  heat  which  was  regularly  kept 
up  and  distributed.  They  also  heated  a  distilling  ap- 
paratus, which,  by  evaporation,  furnished  excellent  drink- 
able water.  Near  this  kitchen  was  a  bath-room  comfort- 
ably furnished,  with  hot  and  cold  water  taps. 

Next  to  the  kitchen  was  the  berth-room  of  the  vessel, 
sixteen  feet  long.  But  the  door  was  shut,  and  I  could 
not  see  the  management  of  it,  which  might  have  given 


20,000    LEAGCTES    TJNDER    THE    SEAS.  G3 

me  an  idea  of  the  number  of  men  employed  on  board  the 
Nautilus. 

At  the  bottom  was  a  fourth  partition,  that  separated 
this  office  from  the  engine- I'oom.  A  door  opened,  and  I 
found  myself  in  the  compartment  where  Captain  Nemo — 
certainly  an  engineer  of  a  very  high  order — had  ananged 
his  locomotive  machinery.  This  engine-room,  clearly 
lighted,  did  not  measure  less  than  sixty-five  feet  in  length. 
It  was  divided  into  two  parts;  the  first  contained  the 
materials  for  producing  electricity,  and  the  second  tlie 
machinery  that  connected  it  with  the  screw.  I  exammed 
it  with  great  interest,  in  order  to  understand  the  machinery 
of  the  Nautilus. 

"You  see,"  said  the  captain,  "I  use  Bunsen's  contri- 
vances, not  Ruhmkorff's.  Those  would  not  have  been 
powerful  enough.  Bunsen's  are  fewer  in  number,  but 
strong  and  large,  which  experience  proves  to  be  the  best. 
The  electricity  produced  passes  forward,  where  it  works, 
by  electro-magnets  of  great  size,  on  a  system  of  levers  and 
cog-wheels  that  transmit  the  movement  to  the  axle  of  the 
screw.  This  one,  the  diameter  of  which  is  nineteen  feet, 
and  the  thread  twenty-three  feet,  performs  about  a  hundred 
and  twenty  revolutions  in  a  second." 

^'  And  you  get  then?" 

"  A  speed  of  fifty  miles  an  hour." 

"  I  have  seen  the  Nautilus  maneuver  before  the  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  and  I  have  my  own  ideas  as  to  its  speed.  But 
this  is  not  enough.  We  must  see  where  we  go.  We  must 
be  able  to  direct  it  to  the  right,  to  the  left,  above,  below. 
How  do  you  get  to  the  great  depths,  where  you  find  an 
increasing  resistance,  which  is  rated  by  hundreds  of  at- 
mospheres? How  do  you  return  to  the  surface  of  the 
ocean?  And  how  do  you  maintain  yourselves  in  the  re- 
quisite medium?     Am  I  asking  too  much?" 

"  Not  at  all.  Professor,"  replied  the  captain,  with  some 
hesitation;  "since  you  may  never  leave  this  submarine 
boat.  Come  into  the  saloon,  it  is  our  usual  study,  and 
there  you  will  learn  all  you  want  to  know  about  the 
Nautilus." 


6i  20,000    LEAGUES    UJS'DEli    THE    SEAS. 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

SOMEFIGURES. 

A  MOMENT  after  we  were  seated  on  a  divan  in  the  saloon 
smoking.  The  captain  showed  me  a  sketch  that  gave  the 
phm,  section,  and  elevation  of  the  Nautilus.  Then  he  be- 
gan his  description  in  these  words: 

"Here,  M.  Aronnax,  are  the  several  dimensions  of  the 
boat  you  are  in.  It  is  an  elongated  cylinder,  with  conical 
ends.  It  is  very  like  a  cigar  in  sliape,  a  shape  already 
adopted  in  London  in  several  constructions  of  the  same 
sort.  The  length  of  this  cylinder,  from  stem  to  stern,  is 
exactly  232  feet,  and  its  maximum  breadth  is  twenty-six 
feet.  It  is  not  built  quite  like  your  long-voyage  steamers, 
but  its  lines  are  suflBciently  long,  and  its  curves  prolonged 
enough  to  allow  the  water  to  slide  off  easily,  and  oppose 
no  obstacle  to  its  passage.  These  two  dimensions  enable 
you  to  obtain  by  a  simple  calculation  the  surface  and  cubic 
contents  of  the  Nautilus.  Its  area  measures  6,032  feet; 
and  its  contents  about  1,500  cubic  yards:  that  is  to  say, 
yrhen  completely  immersed,  it  displaces  50,000  feet  of 
water,  or  weighs  1,500  tons. 

■'When  I  made  the  plans  for  this  submarine  vessel,  I 
meant  that  nine-tenths  should  be  submerged;  consequent- 
ly, it  ought  only  to  displace  nine-tenths  of  its  bulk;  that 
is  to  say,  only  to  weigh  that  number  of  tons.  I  ought  not, 
therefore,  to  have  exceeded  that  weight,  constructing  it  on 
the  aforesaid  dimensions. 

"The Nautilus  is  composed  of  two  hulls,  one  inside,  the 
other  outside,  joined  by.  T-shaped  irons,  which  render  it 
very  strong.  Indeed,  owing  to  this  cellular  arrangement 
it  resists  like  a  block,  as  if  it  were  solid.  Its  sides  cannot 
yield;  it  coheres  spontaneously,  and  not  by  the  closeness 
of  its  rivets;  and  the  homogeneity  of  its  construction,  due 
to  the  perfect  union  of  the  materials,  enables  it  to  defy  the 
roughest  seas. 

**  These  two  hulls  are  composed  of  steel  plates,  whose 
density  is  from  .7  to  .8  that  of  water.  The  first  is  not 
less  than  two  inches  and  a  half  thick,  and  weighs  394 
tons.     The  second  envelope,  the  keel,  twenty  inches  high 


'  20,000    LEAGUES    CTNDER    THE    SEAS.  65 

and  ten  thick,  weighs  alone  sixty-two  tons.  The  engine, 
the  ballast,  the  several  accessories  and  apparatus  append- 
ages, the  partitions  and  bulkheads,  weigh  961,62  tons. 
Do  you  follow  all  this?" 

"I  do." 

"  Then,  when  the  Nautilus  is  afloat  under  these  cir- 
cumstances, one  tenth  is  out  of  the  water.  Now,  if  I 
have  made  reservoirs  of  a  size  equal  to  this  tenth,  or 
capable  of  holding  150  tons,  and  if  I  fill  them  with  water, 
the  boat,  weighing  then  1,500  tons,  will  be  completely 
immersed.  ,  That  would  happen.  Professor.  These  reser- 
voirs are  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Nautilus.  I  turn  on 
taps  and  they  fill,  and  the  vessel  sinks  that  had  just  been 
level  with  the  surface." 

*'  Well,  Captain,  but  now  we  come  to  the  real  difficulty. 
I  can  understand  your  rising  to  the  surface;  but  diving 
below  the  surface,  does  not  your  submarine  contrivance 
encounter  a  pressure,  and  consequently  undergo  an  upward 
thrust  of  one  atmosphere  for  every  thirty  feet  of  water, 
just  about  fifteen  pounds  per  square  inch?" 

"Just  so,  sir." 

"  Then  unless  you  quite  fill  the  Nautilus,  I  do  not  see 
how  you  can  draw  it  down  to  these  depths," 

"  Professor,  you  must  not  confound  statics  with  dynam- 
ics, or  you  will  be  exposed  to  grave  errors.  There  ii 
rery  little  labor  spent  in  attaining  the  lower  regions  of  the 
ocean,  for  all  bodies  have  a  tendency  to  sink.  When  I 
wanted  to  find  out  the  necessary  increase  of  weight 
required  to  sink  the  Nautilus,  I  had  only  to  calculate  the 
reduction  of  volume  that  sea  water  acquires  according  to 
the  depth."  - 

"  That  is  evident." 

"Now,  if  water  is  not  absolutely  incompressible,  it  is 
at  least  capable  of  very  slight  compression.  Indeed,  after 
the  most  recent  calculations  this  reduction  is  only  .000436 
of  an  atmosphere  for  each  thirty  feet  of  depth.  If  we 
want  to  sink  3,000  feet,  I  should  keep  account  of  the 
reduction  of  bulk  under  a  pressure  equal  to  that  of  a 
column  of  water  of  a  thousand  feet.  The  calculation  is 
easily  verified.  Now,  I  have  supplementary  reservoirs 
capable  of  holding  a  hundred  tons.  Therefore  I  can  sink 
to  a  considerable  depth.  When  I  wish  to  rise  to  the  level 
of  the  sea,  I  only  let  off   the  water,  and  empty  all  the 


66  20,000"  LEAGUES    tTlTDEK    THE    IXA8, 

reservoirs  if  I  want  the  Nautilus  to  emerge  from  the  tenth 
part  of  her  total  capacity." 

I  liad  nothing  to  object  to  these  reasonings. 

*^I  admit  your  calculations,  Captain,"  1  replied.  "I 
should  be  wrong  to  dispute  them  since  daily  experience 
confirms  them;  but  I  foresee  a  real  difficulty  in  the  way." 

''  What,  sir?" 

**  When  you  are  about  1,000  feet  deep,  the  walls  of  the 
Nautilus  bear  a  pressure  of  100  atmospheres.  If,  then, 
just  now  you  were  to  empty  the  supplementary  reservoirs, 
to  lighten  the  vessel,  and  to  go  up  to  the  surface,  the 
pumps  must  overcome  the  pressure  of  100  atmosplieres, 
which  is  1,500  pounds  per  square  inch.  From  that  a 
power " 

"That  electricity  alone  can  give,"  said  the  Captain, 
hastily.  "  I  repeat,  sir,  that  the  dynamic  power  of  my 
engines  is  almost  infinite.  The  pumps  of  the  Nautilus 
have  an  enormous  power,  as  you  must  have  observed  when 
their  jets  of  water  burst  like  a  torrent  upon  the  Abraham 
Lincoln.  Besides,  I  use  subsidiary  reservoirs  only  to  at- 
tain a  mean  depth  of  750  to  1,000  fatiioms,  and  that  witli 
a  view  of  managing  my  machines.  Also,  when  I  have  a 
mind  to  visit  the  depths  of  the  ocean  five  or  six  miles 
below  the  surface,  I  make  use  of  slower  but  not  less  in- 
fallible means." 

'*  What  are  they.  Captain?" 

"That  involves  my  telling  you  how  the  Nautilus  is 
worked." 

"  I  am  impatient  to  learn." 

"To  steer  this  boat  to  starboard  or  port,  to  turn,  in  a 
word,  following  a  horizontal  plan,  I  use  an  ordinary  rud- 
der fixed  on  the  back  of  the  stern-post,  and  with  one 
wheel  and  some  tackle  to  steer  by.  But  I  can  also  make 
the  Nautilus  rise  and  sink,  and  sink  and  rise,  by  a  ver- 
tical movement  by  means  of  two  inclined  planes  fastened 
to  its  sides,  opposite  the  center  of  flotation,  planes  that 
move  in  every  direction,  and  that  are  worked  by  powerful 
levers  from  the  interior.  If  the  planes  are  kept  parallel 
with  the  boat,  it  moves  horizontally.  If  slanted,  the 
Nautilus,  according  to  this  inclination,  and  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  screw,  either  sinks  diagonally  or  rises  dia- 
gonally as  it  suits  me.  And  even  if  I  wish  to  rise  more 
ouicklv  to  the  surface,  I  ship  the  screw,  and  the  pressure 


20,000    LBAGUUS    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  67 

of  the  water  causes  tlie  Nautilus  to  rise  vertically  like  & 
balloon  filled  with  hydrogen." 

''^ Bravo,  Captain!  But  how  can  the  steersman  follow 
the  route  in  the  middle  of  the  waters?" 

"  The  steersman  is  placed  in  a  glazed  box,  that  is  raised 
above  the  hull  of  the  Nautilus,  and  furnished  with  lenses." 

*' Are  these  lenses  capable  of  resisting  such  pressure?" 

"  Perfectly.  Glass,  which  breaks  at  a  blow,  is,  never- 
theless, capable  of  offering  considerable  resistance.  Dur- 
ing some  experipients  of  fishing  by  electric  light  in  1864 
in  the  Northern  Seas,  we  saw  plates  less  than  a  third  of 
an  inch  thick  resist  a  pressure  of  sixteen  atmospheres. 
Now,  the  glass  that  I  use  is  not  less  than  thirty  times 
thicker." 

''Granted.  But,  after  all,  in  order  to  see,  the  light 
must  exceed  the  darkness,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  dark- 
ness of  the  water,  how  can  you  see?" 

"Behind  the  steersman's  cage  is  placed  a  powerful 
electric  reflector,  the  rays  from  which  light  up  the  sea  for 
half  a  mile  in  front." 

*'Ah!  bravo,  bravo,  Captain!  Now  can  I  account  for 
this  phosphorescence  in  the  supposed  narwhal  that  puz- 
zled us  so.  I  now  ask  you  if  the  boarding  of  the  Nautilus 
and  of  the  Scotia,  that  has  made  such  a  noise,  has  been 
the  result  of  a  chance  rencontre?" 

"Quite  accidental,  sir.  I  was  sailing  only  one  fathom 
below  the  surface  of  the  water  when  the  shock  came.  It 
had  no  bad  result." 

"  None,  sir.  But  now,  about  your  rencontre  with  the 
Abraham  Lincoln?" 

"  Professor,  I  am  sorry  for  one  of  the  best  vessels  in  the 
American  navy;  but  they  attacked  me,  and  I  was  bound 
to  defend  myself.  I  contented  myself,  however,  with 
})utting  the  frigate  liors  de  conihat :  she  will  not  have  any 
difficulty  in  getting  repaired  at  the  next  port." 

"Ah,  Commander!  your  Nautilus  is  certainly  a  mar- 
velous boat." 

"  Yes,  Professor;  and  I  love  it  as  if  it  were  part  of  my- 
self. If  danger  threatens  one  of  your  vessels  on  the 
ocean,  the  first  impression  is  the  feeling  of  an  abyss  above 
and  below.  On  the  Nautilus  men's  hearts  never  fail  them. 
No  defects  to  be  afraid  of,  for  the  double  shell  is  as  firm 
as  iron;  no  rigging  to  attend  to;  no  sails  for  the  wind  to 


68  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

carry  away;  no  boilers  to  burst;  no  fire  to  fear,  for  the 
vessel  is  made  of  iron,  not  of  wood;  no  coal  to  run  short, 
for  electricity  is  the  only  mechanical  agent;  no  collision 
to  fear,  for  it  alone  lives  in  deep  water;  no  tempest  to 
brave,  for  when  it  dives  below  the  water  it  reaches  abso- 
lute tranquillity.  There,  sir!  that  is  the  perfection  of 
vessels!  And  if  it  is  true  that  the  engineer  has  more 
confidence  in  the  vessel  than  the  builder,  and  the  builder 
than  the  captain  himself,  you  understand  the  trust  I 
repose  in  my  Nautilus;  for  I  am  at  once  captain,  builder, 
and  engineer." 

"  But  how  could  you  construct  this  wonderful  Nautilus 
in  secret?" 

"  Each  separate  portion,  M.  Aronnax,  was  brought  from 
different  parts  of  the  globe.  The  keel  was  forged  at  Creu- 
sot,  the  shaft  of  the  screw  at  Penn  &  Co.'s,  JLondon;  the 
iron  plates  of  the  hull  at  Laird's,  of  Liverpool;  the  screw 
itself  at  Scott's,  at  Glasgow.  The  reservoirs  were  made 
by  Gail  &  Co.,  at  Paris;  the  engine  by  Krupp,  in  Prussia, 
its  beak  in  Motala's  workshop,  in  Sweden;  its  mathe- 
matical instruments  by  Hart  Brothers,  of  New  York,  etc.; 
and  each  of  these  people  had  my  orders  under  different 
names." 

"But  these  parts  had  to  be  put  ti?gether  and  arranged?" 

"  Professor,  I  had  set  up  my  workshops  upon  a  desert 
island  in  the  ocean.  There  my  workmen,  that  is  to  say, 
the  brave  men  that  I  instructed  and  educated,  and  myself 
have  put  together  our  Nautilus.  Then,  when  the  work 
was  finished,  fire  destroyed  all  trace  of  our  proceedings 
on  this  island,  that  I  could  have  jumped  over  if  I  had  liked." 

"Then  the  cost  of  this  vessel  is  great?" 

"  M.  Aronnax,  an  iron  vessel  costs  £45  per  ton.  Now 
the  Nautilus  weighed  1,500.  It  came  therefore  to  £67,500, 
and  £80,000  more  for  fitting  it  up,  and  about  £200,000  with 
the  works  of  art  and  the  collections  it  contains." 

**One  last  question,  Gaptain  Nemo." 

**  Ask  it,  Professor." 

"  You  are  rich?" 

"  Immensely  rich,  sir,  and  I  could,  without  missing  it, 
pay  the  national  debt  of  France." 

I  stared  at  the  singular  person  who  spoke  thus.  Was 
he  playing  upon  my  credulity?  The  future  would  decide 
that. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  69 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    BLACK     RIV  ER. 

Thb  portion  of  the  terrestrial  globe  which  is  covered  by 
water  is  estimated  at  upward  of  eighty  millions  of  acres. 
Tins  fluid  mass  comprises  two  billions  two  hundred  and 
fifty  millions  of  cubic  miles,  forming  a  spherical  body  of 
a  diameter  of  sixty  leagues,  the  weight  of  which  would  be 
three  quintillions  of  tons.  To  comprehend  the  meaning 
of  these  figures,  it  is  necessary  to  observe  that  a  quintillion 
is  to  a  billion  as  a  billion  is  to  unity;  in  other  words,  there 
are  as  many  billions  in  a  quintillion  as  there  are  units  in  a 
billion.  This  mass  of  fluid  is  equal  to  about  the  quantity 
of  water  which  would  be  discharged  by  all  the  rivers  of 
the  earth  in  forty  thousand  years. 

During  the  geological  epochs,  the  igneous  period  suc- 
ceeded to  the  aqueous.  The  ocean  originally  prevailed 
everywhere.  Then  by  degrees,  in  the  silurian  period,  the 
tops  of  the  mountains  began  to  appear,  the  islands  emerged, 
then  disappeared  in  partial  deluges,  reappeared,  became 
settled,  formed  continents,  till  at  length  the  earth  became 
geographically  arranged  as  we  see  in  the  present  day.  The 
solid  had  wrested  from  the  liquid  thirty-seven  million  six 
hundred  and  fifty-seven  square  miles,  equal  to  twelve  bill- 
ions nine  hundred  and  sixty  millions  of  acres. 

The  shape  of  continents  allows  us  to  divide  the  waters 
into  five  great  portions:  the  Arctic  or  Frozen  Ocean,  the 
Antarctic  or  Frozen  Ocean,  the  Indian,  the  Atlantic,  and 
the  Pacific  Oceans. 

The  Pacific  Ocean  extends  fi-om  north  to  south  between 
the  two  polar  circles,  and  from  east  to  west  between  Asia 
and  America,  over  an  extent  of  145  degrees  of  longitude. 
It  is  the  quietest  of  seas;  its  currents  are  broad  and  slow, 
it  has  medium  tides  and  abundant  rain.  Such  was  the 
ocean  that  my  fate  destined  me  first  to  travel  over  under 
these  strange  conditions. 

"  Sir,"  said  Captain  Nemo,  "  we  will,  if  you  please, 
take  our  bearings  and  fix  the  starting-point  of  this  voyage. 
It  is  a  quarter  to  twelve;  I  will  go  up  again  to  the  sur- 
face." 


70  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    BIAS. 

The  captain  pressed  an  electric  clock  three  times.  The 
pumps  began  to  drive  the  water  from  the  tanks;  the  needle 
of  the  manometer  marked  by  a  different  pressure  the  ascent 
of  the  Nautilus,  then  it  stopped. 

"  We  have  arrived,"  said  the  captain. 

I  went  to  the  central  staircase  which  opened  on  to  the 
platform,  clambered  up  the  iron  steps,  and  found  myself 
on  the  upper  part  of  the  Nautilus. 

The  platform  was  only  three  feet  out  of  water.  The 
front  and  back  of  the  Nautilus  was  of  that  spindle-shape 
which  caused  it  justly  to  be  compared  to  a  cigar.  I  no- 
ticed that  its  iron  plates,  slightly  overlaying  each  other, 
resembled  the  shell  which  clothes  the  bodies  of  our  large 
terrestrial  reptiles.  It  explained  to  me  how  natural  it  was, 
in  spite  of  all  glasses,  that  this  boat  should  have  been  taken 
for  a  marine  animal. 

Toward  the  middle  of  the  platform  the  long-boat,  half 
buried  in  the  hull  of  the  vessel,  formed  a  slight  excres- 
cence. Fore  and  aft  rose  two  cages  of  medium  height 
with  inclined  sides,  and  partly  closed  by  thick  lenticular 
glasses;  one  destined  for  the  steersman  who  directed  the 
Nautilus,  the  other  containing  a  brilliant  lantern  to  give 
light  on  the  road. 

The  sea  was  beautiful,  the  sky  pure.  Scarcely  could  the 
long  vehicle  feel  the  broad  undulations  of  the  ocean.  A 
light  breeze  from  the  east  rippled  the  surface  of  the 
waters.  The  horizon,  free  from  fog,  made  observation 
easy.  Nothing  was  in  sight.  Not  a  quicksand,  not  an 
island.     A  vast  desert. 

Captain  Nemo,  by  the  help  of  his  sextant,  took  the 
altitude  of  the  sun,  which  ought  also  to  give  the  latitude. 
Ho  waited  for  some  moments  till  its  disc  touched  the 
horizon.  Whilst  taking  observations  not  a  muscle  moved; 
the  instrument  could  not  have  been  more  motionless  in  a 
hand  of  marble. 

"  Twelve  o'clock,  sir,"  said  he.     *'  When  you  like " 

I  cast  a  last  look  upon  the  sea,  slightly  yellowed  by  the 
Japanese  coast,  and  descended  to  the  saloon. 

'"  And  now,  sir,  I  leave  you  to  your  studies,"  added  the 
captain;  "our  course  is  E.N.E.,  our  depth  is  twenty-six 
fathoms.  Here  are  maps  on  a  large  scale  by  which  you 
may  follow  it.  The  saloon  is  at  your  disposal,  and  with 
your  permission  I  will  retire."     Captain  Nemo  bowed,  and 


20,000    LEAGUES    tJKDER    THE    SEAS.  71 

I  remained  alone,  lost  in  thoughts  all  bearing  ou  the  oom- 
naander  of  the  Nautilus. 

For  a  whole  hour  was  I  deep  in  these  reflections,  seeking 
to  pierce  this  mystery  so  interesting  to  me.  Tiien  my 
eyes  fell  upon  the  vast  planisphere  spread  upon  the  table, 
and  I  placed  my  finger  on  the  very  spot  where  the  given 
latitude  and  longitude  crossed. 

The  sea  has  its  large  rivers  like  the  continents.  They 
are  special  currents  known  by  their  temperature,  and 
their  color.  The  most  remarkable  of  these  is  known  by 
the  name  of  the  Gulf  Stream.  Science  has  decided  on  the 
globe  the  direction  of  five  principal  currents:  one  in  the 
North  Atlantic,  a  second  in  the  South,  a  third  in  the 
North  Pacific,  a  fourth  in  the  South,  and  a  fifth  in  the 
Southern  Indian  Ocean.  It  is  even  probable  that  a  sixth 
current  existed  at  one  time  or  another  in  the  Northern 
Indian  Ocean,  when  the  Caspian  and  Aral  Seas  formed 
but  one  vast  sheet  of  water. 

At  this  point  indicated  on  the  planisphere  one  of  these 
currents  was  rolling,  the  Kuro  Scivo  of  the  Japanese,  the 
Black  Kiver,  which,  leaving  the  Gulf  of  Bengal  where  it  is 
warmed  by  the  perpendicular  rays  of  a  tropical  sun,  crosses 
the  Straits  of  Malacca  along  the  cost  of  Asia,  turns  into 
the  North  Pacific  to  the  Aleutian  Islands,  carrying  with 
it  trunks  of  camphor-trees  and  other  indigenous  produc- 
tions, and  edging  the  waves  of  the  ocean  with  the  pure 
indigo  of  its  warm  water.  It  was  this  current  that  the 
Nautilus  was  to  follow.  I  followed  it  with  my  eye;  saw 
it  lose  itself  in  the  vastness  of  the  Pacific,  and  felt  myself 
drawn  with  it,  when  Ned  Land  and  Conseil  appeared  at 
the  door  of  the  saloon. 

My  two  brave  companions  remained  petrified  at  the 
siglit  of  tlie  wonders  spread  before  them. 

"  Where  are  we,  where  are  we?"  exclaimed  the  Cana- 
dian.    "In  the  museum  at  Quebec?" 

*'  My  friends,"  I  answered,  making  a  sign  for  theni  to 
enter,  ''  you  are  not  in  Canada,  but  on  board  the  Nautilus, 
fifty  yards  below  the  level  of  the  sea." 

"  But  M.  Aronnax,"  said  Ned  Land,  "  can  you  tell  me 
how  many  men  there  are  on  board?  Ten,  twenty,  fifty,  a 
huHdred?" 

"I  cannot  answer  you  now,  Mr.  Land;  it  is  better  to 
abandon  for  a  time  all  idea  of   seizing  the  Nautilus   or 


72  30,000    LEAGUES    UN-DER    THE    SEAS. 

escaping  from  it.  This  ship  is  a  masterpiece  of  modem 
industry,  and  I  should  be  sorry  not  to  have  seen  it.  Many 
people  would  accept  tlie  situation  forced  upon  us,  if  only 
to  move  among  such  wonders.  So  be  quiet,  and  let  us  try 
and  see  what  passes  around  us." 

"See!"  said  the  harpooner,  "but  we  can  see  nothing 
in  this  iron  prison!  We  are  walking — we  are  sailing — 
blindly." 

Ned  Land  had  scarcely  pronounced  these  words  when 
all  was  suddenly  darkness.  The  luminous  ceiling  was 
gone,  and  so  rapidly  that  my  eyes  received  a  painful 
impression. 

We  remained  mute,  not  stirring,  and  not  knowing  what 
surprise  awaited  us,  whether  agreeable  or  disagreeable.  A 
sliding  noise  was  heard;  one  would  have  said  that  panels 
were  working  at  the  sides  of  the  Nautilus. 

"  It  is  the  end  of  the  end!"  said  Ned  Land. 

Suddenly  light  broke  at  each  side  of  the  saloon, 
through  two  oblong  openings.  The  liquid  mass  appeared 
vividly  lit  up  by  the  electric  gleam.  Two  crystal  plates 
separated  us  from  the  sea.  At  first  I  trembled  at  the 
thought  that  this  frail  partition  might  break,  but  strong 
bands  of  copper  bound  them,  giving  an  almost  infinite 
power  of  resistance. 

The  sea  was  distinctly  visible  for  a  mile  all  round  the 
Nautilus.  What  a  spectacle !  What  pen  can  describe  it? 
Who  could  paint  the  effects  of  the  light  through  those 
transparent  sheets  of  water,  and  the  softness  of  the  suc- 
cessive gradations  from  the  lower  to  the  superior  strata  of 
the  ocean? 

We  know  the  transparency  of  the  sea,  and  that  its  clear- 
ness is  far  beyond  that  of  rock  water.  The  mineral  and 
organic  substances  which  it  holds  in  suspension  heighten 
its  transparency.  In  certain  parts  of  the  ocean  at  the 
Antilles,  under  seventy-five  fathoms  of  water,  can  be  seen 
with  surprising  clearness  a  bed  of  sand.  The  penetrating 
power  of  the  solar  rays  does  not  seem  to  cease  for  a 
depth  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  fathoms.  But  in  this 
middle  fluid  traveled  over  by  the  Nautilus  the  electric 
brightness  was  produced  even  in  the  bosom  of  the  waves.. 
It  was  no  longer  luminous  water,  but  liquid  light. 

On  each  side  a  window  opened  mto  this  unexplored 
abyss.     The   obscurity   of    the  saloon  showed  to  ad  van- 


20,000    LEAGUES     Ui^DEK    THE    SEAS.  73 

tage  the  brightness  outside,  and  we  looked  out  as  if 
this  pure  crystal  had  been  the  glass  of  an  immense 
aquarium. 

"  You  wished  to  see,  friend  Ned;  well,  you  see  now." 

"Curious!  curious!"  muttered  the  Canadian,  who  for- 
getting his  ill-temper,  seemed  to  submit  to  some  irresist- 
ible attraction;  '*  and  one  would  come  further  than  this  to 
admire  such  a  sight!" 

*'Ah!"  thought  I  to  myself,  "1  understand  the  life  of 
this  man;  he  has  made  a  world  apart  for  himself,  in  which 
he  treasures  all  his  greatest  wonders." 

For  two  whole  hours  an  aquatic  army  escorted  the 
Nautilus.  During  their  games,  their  bounds  while  rival- 
ing each  other  in  beauty,  brightness,  and  velocity,  I 
distinguished  the  green  labre;  the  banded  mullet,  marked 
by  a  double  line  of  black;  the  round- tailed  goby,  of  a 
white  color,  with  violet  spots  on  the  back;  the  Japanese 
scrombrus,  a  beautiful  mackerel  of  these  seas,  with  a  blue 
body  and  silvery  head;  the  brilliant  azurors,  whose  names 
alone  defies  description;  some  banded  spares,  with  varie- 
gated fins  of  blue  and  yellow;  some  aclostones,  the  wood- 
cocks of  the  sea,  some  specimens  of  which  attain  a  yard  in 
length;  Japanese  salamanders,  spider  lampreys,  serpents 
six  feet  long,  with  eyes  small  and  lively,  and  a  huge  mouth 
bristling  with  teeth;  with  many  other  species. 

Our  imagination  was  kept  at  its  height,  interjections 
followed  quickly  on  each  other.  Ned  named  the  fish, 
and  Conseil  classed  them.  I  was  in  ecstasies  with  the 
vivacity  of  their  movements  and  the  beauty  of  their 
forms.  Never  had  it  been  given  to  me  to  surprise  these 
animals,  alive  and  at  liberty,  in  their  natural  element.  I 
will  not  mention  all  the  varieties  which  passed  before  my 
dazzled  eyes,  all  the  collection  of  the  seas  of  China  and 
Japan.  These  fish  more  numerous  than  the  birds  of  the 
air,  came,  attracted,  no  doubt, ^by  the  brilliant  focus  of  the 
oioctric  light. 

Suddenly  there  was  daylight  in  the  saloon,  the  iron 
jianels  closed,  again,  and  the  enchanting  vision  disappeared. 
But  for  a  long  time  I  dreamt  on  till  my  eyes  fell  on  the 
instruments  hanging  on  the  partition.  The  compass  still 
showed  the  course  to  be  E.N.E.,  the  manometer  indicated 
a  pressure  of  five  atmospheres,  equivalent  to  a  depth  of 
twenty-five  fathoms,  and  the  electric  log  gave  a  speed  oJJ 


74  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

fifteen  miles  an  hour.  I  expected  Captain  Nemo,  but  he 
did  not  appear.     [  'he  clock  marked  the  hour  of  five. 

Ned  Land  and  Conseil  returned  to  their  cabin,  and  I 
retired  to  my  chamber.  My  dinner  was  ready.  It  was 
composed  of  turtle-soup  made  of  the  most  delicate  hawk- 
bills,  of  a  surmullet  served  with  puff  paste  (the  liver  of 
Avhich  prepared  by  itself,  was  most  delicious),  and  fillets 
of  the  emperor-holocanthus,  the  savor  of  which  seemed  to 
me  superior  even  to  salmon.  » 

I  passed  the  evening  reading,  writing  and  thinking. 
Then  sleep  overpowered  me,  and  I  stretched  myself  on 
my  couch  of  zostera,  and  slept  profoundly,  whilst  the 
Nautilus  was  gliding  rapidly  through  the  current  of  the 
Black  Elver. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  NOTE   OF   INVITATION. 

The  next  day  was  the  9th  of  November.  I  awoke  after 
a  long  sleep  of  twelve  hours.  Conseil  came,  according  to 
custom,  to  know  ''how  I  had  passed  the  night,"  and  to 
offer  his  services.  He  had  left  his  friend,  the  Canadian, 
sleepmg  like  a  man  who  had  never  done  anything  else  all 
bis  life.  I  let  the  worthy  fellow  chatter  as  he  pleased, 
without  caring  to  answer  him.  I  was  preoccupied  by  the 
absence  of  the  captain  during  our  sitting  of  the  day  be- 
fore, and  hoping  to  see  him  to-day. 

As  soon  as  I  was  dressed  I  went  into  the  saloon.  It 
was  deserted. 

I  plunged  into  the  study  of  the  conchological  treasures 
hidden  behind  the  glasses.  I  reveled  also  in  great  herbals 
filled  with  the  rarest  marine  plants,  which,  although  dried 
np,  retained  their  lovely  colors.  Amongst  these  precious 
hydrophytes  I  remarked  some  vorticellae,  pavonariae,  deli- 
cate ceramics  with  scarlet  tints,  some  fan-shaped  agari, 
and  some  natabuli  like  flat  mushrooms,  which  at  one  time 
used  to  be  classed  as  zoophytes;  in  short  a  perfect  series 
of  algas. 

The  whole  day  passed  without  my  being  honored  by  a 
visit  from  Captain  Nemo.  The  panels  of  the  saloon  did 
not  open.  Perhaps  they  did  not  wish  us  to  tire  of  these 
beautiful  things. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEK    THE    SEAS.  75 

The  course  of  the  Nautilus  was  E.N.E.,  her  speed  Lwelvo 
knots,  the  depth  below  the  surface  between  twenty-five 
and  thirty  fathoms. 

The  next  day,  10th  of  November,  the  same  desertion,  the 
same  solitude.  I  did  not  see  one  of  the  ship's  crew:  Ned 
and  Conseil  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day  with  me. 
They  were  astonished  at  the  inexplicable  absence  of  the 
captain.  Was  this  singular  man  ill?  had  he  altered  his 
intentions  with  regard  to  us?" 

After  all,  as  Conseil  said,  we  enjoyed  perfect  liberty,  we 
were  delicately  and  abundantly  fed.  Our  host  kept  to  his 
terms  of  the  treaty.  We  could  not  complain,  and,  indeed, 
the  singularity  of  our  fate  reserved  such  wonderful  com- 
pensation for  us,  that  we  had  no  riglit  to  accuse  it  as  yet. 

That  day  I  commenced  the  journal  of  these  adventures 
which  has  enabled  me  to  relate  them  with  more  scrupu- 
lous exactitude  and  minute  detail.  I  wrote  it  on  paper 
made  from  the  zostera  marina. 

11th  November,  early  in  the  morning.  The  fresh  air 
spreading  over  the  interior  of  the  Nautilus,  told  me  that 
we  had  come  to  the  surface  of  the  ocean  to  renew  our  sup- 
ply of  oxygen.  I  directed  my  steps  to  the  central  stair- 
case, and  mounted  the  platform. 

It  was  six  o'clock,  the  weather  was  cloudy,  the  sea  gray 
but  calm.  Scarcely  a  billow.  Captain  Nemo,  whom  I 
hoped  to  meet,  would  he  be  there?  I  saw  no  one  but  the 
steersman  imprisoned  in  his  glass  cage.  Seated  upon  the 
projection  formed  by  the  hull  of  the  pinnace,  I  inhaled  the 
salt  breeze  with  delight. 

By  degrees  the  fog  disappeared  under  the  action  of  the 
sun's  rays,  the  radiant  orb  rose  from  behind  the  eastern 
horizon.  The  sea  flamed  under  its  glances  like  a  train  of 
gunpowder.  The  clouds  scattered  in  the  heights  were 
colored  Avith  lively  tints  of  beautiful  shades,  and  numer- 
ous "  mare's  tails,"  which  betokened  wind  for  that  day. 
But  what  was  wind  to  this  Nautilus,  which  tempests  could 
not  frighten? 

I  was  admiring  this  joyous  rising  of  the  sun,  so  gay,  and 
80  life-giving,  when  I  heard  steps  approaching  the  plat- 
form. I  was  prepared  to  salute  Captain  Nemo,  but  it  was 
his  second  (whom  I  had  already  seen  on  the  captain's  first 
visit)  who  appeared.  He  advanced  on  the  platform,  not 
geeming  to  see  me.     With  his  powerful  glass  to  his  eye  hq 


•ye  20,000  leagues  under  the  seas. 

scanned  every  point  of  the  horizon  with  great  attention. 
This  examination  over,  he  approached  the  panel  and  pro- 
nounced a  sentence  in  exactly  these  terms.  I  have  remem- 
bered it,  for  every  morning  it  was  repeated  under  exactly 
the  same  conditions.     It  was  thus  worded: 

**Nautron  respoc  lorni  virch." 

What  it  meant  I  could  not  say. 

These  words  pronounced,  the  second  descended.  I 
thought  that  the  Nautilus  was  about  to  return  to  its  sub. 
marine  navigation.  I  regained  the  panel  and  returned  to 
my  chamber. 

Five  days  sped  thus,  without  any  change  in  our  situa- 
tion. Every  morning  I  mounted  the  platform.  The 
same  phrase  was  pronounced  by  the  same  individual.  But 
Captain  Nemo  did  not  appear. 

I  had  made  up  my  mind  that  I  should  never  see  him 
again,  when,  on  the  16th  of  November,  on  returning  to 
my  room  with  Ned  and  Conseil,  I  found  upon  my  table  a 
note  addressed  to  me.  I  opened  it  impatiently.  It  was 
written  in  a  bold,  clear  hand ;  the  characters  rather 
pointed,  recalling  the  German  type.  The  note  was  worded 
as  follows: 

"  To  Professor  Aronnax,  on  hoard  the  Nautilus. 

"  16th  of  November,  1867. 
*'  Captain  Nemo  invites  Professor  Aronnax  to  a  hunting- 
party,  which  will  take  place  to-morrow  morning  in  the 
forests  of  the  island  of  Crespo.  He  hopes  that  nothing 
will  prevent  the  Professor  from  being  present,  and  he  will 
with  pleasure  see  him  joined  by  his  companions. 

"  Captaiist  Nemo,  Commander  of  the  Nautilus." 

*'  A  hunt!"  exclaimed  Ned. 

"  And  in  the  forests  of  the  island  of  Crespo!"  added 
Conseil. 

"0,  then  the  gentleman  is  gomg  on  terra  firmaf*  re- 
plied Ned  Land. 

'•'  That  seems  to  me  to  be  clearly  indicated,"  said  I, 
reading  the  letter  once  more, 

"Well,  we  must  accept,"  said  the  Canadian.  "But 
once  more  on  dry  ground,  we  shall  know  what  to  do. 
Indeed,  I  shall  not  be  sorrj  to  eat  a  piece  of  fresh  ven- 
ison." 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  tt 

Without  seeking  to  reconcile  what  was  contradictory  be- 
tween Captain  Nemo's  manifest  aversion  to  islands  and 
continents,  and  his  invitation  to  hunt  in  a  forest,  I  con- 
tented myself  with  replying: 

"  Let  us  first  see  where  the  island  of  Crespo  is." 

I  consulted  the  planisphere,  and  in  32**  40'  north  lat., 
and  IbT  50'  west  long.,  I  found  a  small  island,  recognized 
in  1801  by  Captain  Crespo,  and  marked  in  the  ancient 
Spanish  maps  as  Rocca  de  la  Plata,  the  meaning  of  which 
is  "The  Silver  Eock."  We  were  then  about  eighteen 
hundred  miles  from  our  starting  point,  and  the  course  of 
the  Nautilus,  a  little  changed,  was  bringing  it  back  toward 
the  southeast.  I  showed  this  little  rock  lost  in  the  midst 
of  the  North  Pacific  to  my  companions. 

"  If  Captain  Nemo  does  sometimes  go  on  dry  ground," 
said  I,  "he  at  least  chooses  desert  islands." 

Ned  Land  shrugged  his  shoulders  without  speaking,  and 
Conseil  and  he  left  me. 

After  supper,  which  was  served  by  the  steward,  mute  and 
impassible,  I.  went  to  bed,  not  without  some  anxiety. 

The  next  morning,  the  17th  of  November,  on  awakening, 
I  felt  that  the  Nautilus  was  perfectly  still.  I  dressed 
quickly  and  entered  the  saloon. 

Captain  Nemo  was  there,  waiting  for  me.  He  rose, 
bowed,  and  asked  me  if  it  was  convenient  for  me  to  ac- 
company him.  As  he  made  no  allusion  to  his  absence 
during  the  last  eight  days,  I  did  not  mention  it,  and 
simply  answered  that  my  companions  and  myself  were 
ready  to  follow  him. 

We  entered  the  dining-room,  where  breakfast  was 
served. 

"  M.  Aronnax,"  said  the  Captain,  *'  pray  share  my 
breakfast  without  ceremony;  we  will  chat  as  we  eat. 
For,  though  I  promised  you  a  walk  in  the  forest,  I  did 
not  undertake  to  find  hotels  there.  So  breakfast  as  a 
man  who  will  most  likely  not  have  his  dinner  till  very 
late." 

I  did  honor  to  the  repast.  It  was  composed  of  several 
kinds  of  fish,  and  several  slices  of  holothuridae  (excellent 
zoophytes),  and  different  sorts  of  sea-weed.  Our  drink 
consisted  of  pure  water,  to  which  the  captain  added  some 
drops  of  a  fermented  liquor,  extracted  by  the  Kamtchatka 
method  from  a  sea- weed  known  under  the  name  of  Rhodo-* 


^8  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

menia  palmata.     Captain  Neaio  ate  at  first  without  saying 
a  word.     Then  he  began: 

"Sir,  when  I  proposed  to  you  to  hunt  in  my  submarine 
forest  of  Crespo,  you  evidently  thought  me  mad.  Sir, 
you  should  never  judge  lightly  of  any  man." 

"But,  Captain,  believe  me " 

*'  Be  kind  enough  to  listen,  and  you  will  then  see 
whether  you  have  any  cause  to  accuse  me  of  folly  and  con- 
tradiction." 

"I  listen." 

"You  know  as  well 'as  I  do,  Professor,  that  man  can 
live  under  water  providing  he  carries  with  him  a  sufficient 
supply  of  breatliable  air.  In  submarine  works  the  work- 
man, clad  in  an  impervious  dress,  with  his  head  in  a  metal 
helmet,  receives  air  from  above  by  means  of  forcing-pumps 
and  regulators.' 

"  That  is  a  diving  apparatus,"  said  I. 

"Just  so;  but  under  these  conditions  the  man  is  not 
at  liberty;  he  is  attached  to  the  pump,  which  sends  him 
air  through  an  india-rubber  tube,  and  if  we  were  obliged 
to  be  thus  held  to  the  Nautilus,  we  could  not  go  far." 

"  And  the  means  of  getting  free?"  I  asked. 

"It  is  to  use  the  Rouquayrol  apparatus,  invented  by 
two  of  your  own  countrymen,  which  I  have  brought  to 
perfection  for  my  own  use,  and  which  will  allow  you  to 
risk  yourself  under  these  new  physiological  conditions, 
without  any  organ  whatever  suffering.  It  consists  of  a 
reservoir  of  thick  iron  plates,  in  which  I  store  the  air  under 
a  pressure  of  fifty  atmospheres.  This  reservoir  is  fixed  on 
the  back  by  means  of  braces,  like  a  soldier's  knapsack. 
Its  upper  part  forms  a  box  in  which  the  air  is  kept  by 
means  of  a  bellows,  and  therefore  can  not  escape  unless  at 
its  normal  tension.  In  the  Rouquayrol  apparatus  such  as 
we  use,  two  india-rubber  pipes  leave  this  box  and  join  a 
sort  of  tent  which  holds  the  nose  and  mouth;  one  is  to 
introduce  fresh  air,  the  other  to  let  out  tlie  foul,  and  the 
tongue  closes  one  or  the  other  according  to  the  wants  of 
the  respirator.  But  I,  in  encountering  great  pressures  at 
the  bottom  of  the  sea,  was  obliged  to  shut  my  head,  like 
that  of  a  diver,- in  a  ball  of  copper;  and  it  is  to  this  ball 
of  copper  that  the  two  pipes,  the  inspirator  and  the  ex- 
pjjator,  open." 
.  "  Perfectly,  Captain  Nemo;  but  the  air  that  you  carrj 


20,000    LEAGUES    UlifDEll    THE    SEAS.  73 

with  you  must  soon  be  used;  when  it  only  contains  fifteen 
per  cent,  of  oxygen,  it  is  no  longer  fit  to  breathe." 

"Eight!  but  I  told  you,  M.  Aronnax,  that  the  pumps 
of  the  Nautilus  allow  me  to  store  tiie  air  under  consider- 
able pressure;  and  on  those  conditions,  the  reservoir  of 
the  apparatus  can  furnish  breathable  air  for  nine  or  ten 
hours." 

"  I  have  no  further  objections  to  make,"  I  answered; 
"  I  will  only  ask  you  one  thing,  Captain — how  can  you 
light  your  road  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea?" 

*'  With  the  Khumkorff  apparatus,  M.  Aronnax;  one  is 
carried  on  the  back,  the  other  is  fastened  to  the  waist. 
It  is  composed  of  a  Bunsen  pile,  which  I  do  not  work 
with  bichromate  of  potash,  but  with  sodium.  A  wire  is 
introduced  which  collects  the  electricity  produced,  and 
directs  it  toward  a  particularly  made  lantern.  In  this 
lantern  is  a  spiral  glass  which  contains  a  small  quantity  of 
carbonic  gas.  When  the  apparatus  is  at  work,  this  gas 
becomes  luminous,  giving  out  a  white  and  continuous  light. 
Thus  provided,  I  can  breathe  and  I  can  see." 

"  Captain  Nemo,  to  all  my  objections  you  make  such 
crushing  answers,  that  I  dare  no  longer  doubt.  But  if  I 
am  forced  to  admit  the  Eouquayrol  and  Ehumkorff  ap- 
paratus, I  must  be  allowed  some  reservations  with  regard 
to  the  gun  I  am  to  carry." 

"  But  it  is  not  a  gun  for  powder,"  answered  the  Captain. 

"  Then  it  is  an  air-gun?" 

''Doubtless!  How  would  you  have  me  manufacture 
gunpowder  on  board,  without  either  saltpeter,  sulphur, 
or  charcoal?" 

''Besides,"  I  added,  "  to  fire  under  water  in  a  medium 
eight  hundred  and  fifty-five  times  denser  than  the  air,  we 
must  conquer  very  considerable  resistance." 

"  That  would  be  no  difficulty.  There  exist  guns,  ac- 
cording to  Fulton,  perfected  in  England  by  Philip  Coles 
and  Burley,  in  France  by  Furcy,  and  in  Italy  by  Landi, 
which  are  furnished  with  a  peculiar  system  of  closing, 
which  can  fire  under  these  conditions.  But  I  repeat, 
having  no  powder,  I  use  air  under  great  pressure,  which 
the  pumps  of  the  Nautilus  furnish  abundantly." 

"But  this  air  must  be  rapidly  used?" 

"  Well,  have  I  not  my  Eouquayrol  reservoir,  which  can 
furnish  it  at  need?  A  tap  is  all  that  is  required.    Besides, 


80  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.     ^ 

M.  Aronnax,  you  must  see  yourself  that,  during  our  sub- 
marine hunt,  we  can  spend  but  little  air  and  but  few 
balls." 

**  But  it  seems  to  me  that  in  this  twilight,  and  in  the 
midst  of  this  fluid,  which  is  very  dense  compared  with 
the  atmosphere,  shots  could  not  go  far  nor  easily  prove 
mortal." 

"•  Sir,  on  the  contrary,  with  this  gun  every  blow  is 
mortal;  and  however  lightly  the  animal  is  touched,  it  falls 
as  if  struck  by  a  thunderbolt." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  the  balls  sent  by  this  gun  are  not  ordinary 
balls,  but  little  cases  of  glass  (invented  by  Leniebroek,  an 
Austrian  chemist),  of  which  I  have  a  large  supply.  These 
glass  cases  are  covered  with  a  case  of  steel,  and  weighted 
with  a  pellet  of  lead;  they  are  real  Leyden  bottles,  into 
which  the  electricity  is  forced  to  a  very  high  tension. 
With  the  slightest  shock  they  are  discharged,  and  the 
animal,  however  strong  it  may  be,  falls  dead.  I  must  tell 
you  that  these  cases  are  size  number  four,  and  that  the 
charge  for  an  ordinary  gun  would  be  ten." 

*'  I  will  argue  no  longer,"  I  replied,  rising  from  the  table; 
**I  have  nothing  left  me  but  to  take  my  gun.  At  all 
events,  I  will  go  where  you  go." 

Captain  Nemo  then  let  me  aft;  and  in  passing  before 
Ned  and  Conseil's  cabin,  I  called  my  two  companions,  who 
followed  immediately.  We  then  came  to  a  kind  of  cell 
pear  the  machinery-room,  in  which  we  were  to  put  on  our 
walking-dress. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  BOTTOM    OF  THE  SEA, 

This  cell  was,  to  speak  correctly,  the  arsenal  and  ward- 
robe of  the  Nautilus.  A  dozen  diving  apparatuses  hung 
from  the  partition,  waiting  our  use. 

Ned  Land,  on  seeing  them,  showed  evident  repugnance 
to  dress  himself  in  one. 

"  But,  my  worthy  Ned,  the  forests  of  the  Island  of 
Crespo  are  nothing  but  submarine  forests." 

"Good!"  said  the  disappointed  harpooner,  who  saw 
his  dreams  of  fresh  meat  fade  awuv.      "And   you,  M. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UJTDER    THE    SEAS.  81 

A.ronnax,  are  you  going  to  dress  yourself  in  those 
clotheg?" 

"There  is  no  alternative,  Master  Ned." 

**  As  you  please,  sir,"  replied  the  harpooner,  shrugging 
his  shoulders;  "  but  as  for  me,  unless  I  am  forced,  I  will 
never  get  into  one." 

**  No  one  will  force  you.  Master  Ned,"  said  Captain 
Nemo. 

''  Is  Conseil  going  to  risk  it?"  asked  Ned. 

"  I  follow  my  master  wherever  he  goes,"  replied  Con- 
seil. 

At  the  captain's  call  two  of  the  ship's  crew  came  to 
help  us  to  dress  in  these  heavy  and  impervious  clothes 
made  of  india-rubber  without  seam,  and  constructed  ex- 
pressly to  resist  considerable  pressure.  One  would  have 
thought  it  a  suit  of  armor,  both  supple  and  resisting. 
This  suit  formed  trousers  and  waistcoat.  The  trousers 
were  finished  off  with  thick  boots,  weighted  with  heavy 
leaden  soles.  The  texture  of  the  waistcoat  was  held  to- 
gether by  bands  of  copper,  which  crossed  the  chest,  protect- 
ing it  from  the  great  pressure  of  the  water,  and  leaving 
the  lungs  free  to  act;  the  sleeves  ended  in  gloves,  which 
in  no  way  restrained  the  movement  of  the  hands.  There 
was  a  vast  difference  noticeable  between  these  consum- 
mate apparatuses  and  the  old  cork  breastplates,  jackets, 
and  other  contrivances  in  vogue  during  the  eighteenth 
century. 

Captain  Nemo  and  one  of  his  companions  (a  sort  of 
Hercules,  who  must  have  possessed  great  strength),  Con- 
seil  and  myself,  were  soon  enveloped  in  the  dresses.  There 
remained  nothing  more  to  be  done  but  to  inclose  our 
heads  in  the  metal  box.  But  before  proceeding  to  this 
operation,  I  asked  the  captain's  permission  to  examine  the 
guns  we  were  to  carry. 

One  of  the  Nautilus  men  gave  me  a  simple  gun,  the 
but-end  of  which,  made  of  steel  hollow  in  the  center, 
was  rather  large.  It  served  as  a  reservoir  for  compressed 
air,  which  a  valve,  worked  by  a  spring,  allowed  to  escape 
into  a  metal  tube.  A  box  of  projectiles,  in  a  groove  in 
the  thickness  of  the  but-end,  contained  about  twenty  of 
these  electric  balls  which  by  means  of  a  spring  were  forced 
into  the  barrel  of  the  gun.  As  soon  as  one  shot  was  fired, 
another  was  ready. 


82  20,000    LEAGUES    UXDER    THE    SEAS. 

''Captain  Nemo,"  said  I,  "this  arm  is  perfect,  and 
easily  handled;  I  only  ask  to  be  allowed  to  try  it.  But 
how  shall  we  gain  tlie  bottom  of  the  sea?" 

*'At  this  moment,  Professor,  the  Nautilus  is  stranded 
in  five  fathoms,  and  we  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  start." 

"  But  how  shall  we  get  off?" 

"  You  shall  see." 

Captain  Nemo  thrust  his  head  into  the  helmet;  Conseil 
and  I  did  the  same,  not  without  hearing  an  ironical  *'  Good 
Sport!"  from  the  Canadian.  The  upper  part  of  our  dress 
terminated  in  a  copper  collar,  upon  which  was  screwed  the 
metal  helmet.  Three  holes,  protected  by  thick  glass,  al- 
lowed us  to  see  in  all  directions,  by  simply  turning  our 
heads  in  the  interior  of  the  head-dress.  As  soon  as  it  was 
in  position,  the  Rouquayrol  apparatus  on  our  backs  began 
to  act;  and  for  my  part,  I  could  breathe  with  ease. 

With  the  Ruhmkorff  lamp  hanging  from  my  belt,  and 
the  gun  in  my  hand,  I  was  ready  to  set  out.  But,  to  speak 
the  truth,  imprisoned  in  these  heavy  garments,  and  glued 
to  the  deck  by  my  leaden  soles,  it  was  impossible  for  me 
to  take  a  step. 

But  this  state  of  things  was  provided  for.  I  felt  myself 
being  pushed  into  a  little  room  contiguous  to  the  wardrobe- 
room.  My  companions  followed,  towed  along  in  the  same 
way.  I  heard  a  water-tight  door,  furnished  with  stopper- 
plates,  close  upon  us,  and  we  were  wrapped  in  profound 
darkness. 

After  some  minutes,  a  loud  hissing  was  heard.  I  feel 
the  cold  mount  from  my  feet  to  my  chest.  Evidently  from 
some  part  of  the  vessel  they  had  by  means  of  a  tap  given 
entrance  to  the  water,  which  was  invading  us,  and  with 
which  the  room  was  soon  filled.  A  second  door  cut  in  the 
side  of  the  Nautilus  then  opened.  We  saw  a  faint  light. 
In  another  instant  our  feet  trod  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 

And  now,  how  can  I  retrace  the  impression  left  upon 
me  by  that  walk  under  the  waters?  Words  are  impotent 
to  relate  such  wonders!  Captain  Nemo  walked  in  front, 
his  companions  followed  some  steps  behind.  Conseil  and 
I  remained  near  each  other,  as  if  an  exchange  of  words  had 
been  possible  through  our  metallic  cases.  I  no  longer  felt 
the  weight  of  my  clothing,  or  my  shoes,  of  my  reservoir 
of  air,  or  of  my  thick  helmet,  in  the  midst  of  which  my 
head  rattled  like  an  almond  in  its  shell. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  83 

The  light,  which  lit  the  soil  thirty  feet  below  the  sur- 
face of  the  ocean,  astonished  me  by  its  power.  The  solar 
rays  shone  through  the  watery  mass  easily,  and  dissipated 
all  color,  and  I  clearly  distinguished  objects  at  a  distance 
of  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards.  Beyond  that  the  tints  dark- 
ened into  fine  gradations  of  ultra-marine,  and  faded  into 
vague  obscurity.  Truly  this  water  which  surrounded  me 
was  but  another  air  denser  than  the  terrestrial  atmosphere, 
but  almost  as  transparent.  Above  me  was  the  calm  sur- 
face of  the  sea.  We  were  walking  on  fine,  even  sand,  not 
wrinkled,  as  on  a  flat  shore,  which  retains  the  impression 
of  the  billows.  This  dazzling  carpet,  really  a  reflector, 
repelled  the  rays  of  the  sun  with  wonderful  intensity, 
which  accounted  for  the  vibration  which  penetrated  every 
atom  of  liquid.  Shall  I  be  believed  when  I  say  that,  at 
the  depth  of  thirty  feet,  I  could  see  as  if  I  was  in  broad 
daylight? 

For  a  quarter  of  an  hour  I  trod  on  this  sand,  sown  with 
the  impalpable  dust  of  shells.  The  hull  of  the  Nautilus, 
resembling  a  long  shoal,  disappeared  by  degrees;  but  its 
lantern,  when  darkness  should  overtake  us  in  the  waters, 
would  help  to  guide  us  on  board  by  its  distinct  rays. 

Soon  forms  of  objects  outlined  in  the  distance  were  dis- 
cernible. I  recognized  magnificent  rocks,  hung  with  a 
tapestry  of  zoophytes  of  the  most  beautiful  kind,  and  I 
was  at  first  struck  by  the  peculiar  effect  of  this  medium. 

It  was  then  ten  in  the  morning;  the  rays  of  the  sun 
struck  the  surface  of  the  waves  at  rather  an  oblique  angle, 
and  at  the  touch  of  their  light,  decomposed  by  refraction 
as  through  a  prism,  flowers,  rocks,  plants,  shells,  and 
polypi  were  shaded  at  the  edges  by  the  seven  solar  colors. 
It  was  marvelous,  a  feast  for  the  eyes,  this  complication 
of  colored  tints,  a  perfect  kaleidoscope  of  green,  yellow, 
orange,  violet,  indigo,  and  blue;  in  one  word,  the  whole 
palette  of  an  enthusiastic  colorist!  Why  could  I  not  com- 
municate to  Conseil  the  lively  sensations  which  were 
mounting  to  my  brain,  and  rival  him  in  expressions  of  ad- 
miration? For  aught  I  knew,  Captain  Nemo  and  his 
companion  might  be  able  to  exchange  thoughts  by  means 
of  signs  previously  agreed  upon.  So  for  want  of  better,  I 
talked  to  myself;  I  declaimed  in  the  copper  box  which 
covered  my  head,  thereby  expending  more  air  in  vain  words 
than  was,  perhaps,  expedient. 


84  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAtf, 

Various  kinds  of  isis,  clusters  of  pure  tuft-coral,  prickly 
fungi,  and  anemones,  formed  a  brilliant  garden  of  flowers, 
enameled  with  porphitae,  decked  with  their  collarettes  ot 
blue  tentacles,  sea-stars  studding  the  sandy  bottom,  to- 
gether with  asterophytons  like  fine  lace  embroidered  by 
the  hands  of  naiads;  whose  festoons  were  waved  by  the 
gentle  undulations  caused  by  our  walk.  It  was  a  real 
grief  to  me  to  crush  under  my  feet  the  brilliant  specimens 
of  molluscs  which  strewed  the  ground  by  thousands,  of 
hammerheads,  donaciae  (veritable  bounding  shells),  of 
staircases,  and  red  helmet-shells,  angel-wings,  and  many 
others  produced  by  this  inexhaustible  ocean.  But  we 
were  bound  to  walk,  so  we  went  on,  whilst  above  our  heads 
waved  shoals  of  physalidea,  leaving  their  tentacles  to  float 
in  their  train,  medusae  whose  umbrellas  of  opal  or  rose- 
pink,  escaloped  with  a  band  of  blue,  sheltered  us  from 
the  rays  of  the  sun  and  fiery  pelagiae,  which,  in  the  dark- 
ness, would  have  strewn  our  path  with  phosphorescent 
light. 

All  these  wonders  I  saw  in  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  scarcely  stopping,  and  following  Captain  Nemo,  who 
beckoned  me  on  by  signs.  Soon  the  nature  of  the  soil 
changed;  to  the  sandy  plain  succeeded  an  extent  of  slimy 
mud,  which  the  Americans  call  "  ooze,"  composed  of  equal 
parts  of  silicious  and  calcareous  shells.  We  then  traveled 
over  a  plain  of  sea-weed  of  wild  and  luxuriant  vegetation. 
This  sward  was  of  close  texture,  and  soft  to  the  feet,  and 
rivaled  the  softest  carpet  woven  by  the  hand  of  man.  But 
whilst  verdure  was  spread  at,our  feet,  it  did  not  abandon 
our  heads.  A  light  network  of  marine  plants,  of  that 
inexhaustible  family  of  sea-weeds  of  which  more  than  two 
thousand  kinds  are  known,  grew  on  t-he  surface  of  the 
water.  I  saw  long  ribbons  of  fucns  floating,  some  glob- 
ular, others  tuberous;  laurenciae  and  cladostephi  of  most 
delicate  foliage,  and  some  rhodomeniae  palmatae,  resem- 
bling the  fan  of  a  cactus.  I  noticed  that  the  green  plants 
kept  nearer  the  top  of  the  sea  whilst  the  red  were  at  a 
greater  depth,  leaving  to  the  black  or  brown  hydrophytes 
the  care  of  forming  gardens  and  parterres  in  the  remote 
beds  of  the  ocean. 

We  had  quitted  the  Nautilus  about  an  hour  and  a  half. 
It  was  near  noon;  I  knew  by  the  perpendicularity  of  the 
Bun's  rays,  which  were  no  longer  refracted.     The  magical 


30,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  85 

colors  disappeared  by  degrees,  and  the  shades  of  emerald 
and  sapphire  were  effaced.  We  walked  with  a  regular 
step,  which  rang  upon  the  ground  with  astonishing  in- 
tensity; the  slightest  noise  was  transmitted  with  a  quick- 
ness to  which  the  ear  is  unaccustomed  on  the  earth;  indeed, 
water  is  a  better  conductor  of  sound  tlian  air,  in  the  ratio 
of  four  to  one.  At  this  period  the  earth  sloped  downward; 
the  light  took  a  uniform  tint.  We  were  at  a  depth  of  a 
hundred  and  five  yards  and  twenty  inches,  undergoing  a 
pressure  of  six  atmospheres. 

At  this  depth  I  could  still  see  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
though  feebly;  to  their  intense  brilliancy  had  succeeded 
a  reddish  twilight,  the  lowest  state  between  day  and  night; 
but  we  could  still  see  well  enough;  it  was  not  necessary  to 
resort  to  the  Ruhmkorff  apparatus  as  yet.  At  this  mo- 
ment Captain  Nemo  stopped;  he  waited  till  I  joined  him, 
and  then  pointed  to  an  obscure  mass,  looming  in  th« 
shadow,  at  a  short  distance. 

"  It  is  the  forest  of  the  Island  of  Crespo,"  thought  Ij 
and  I  was  uot  mistaken. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A  SUBMARINE  FOREST. 

We  had  at  last  arrived  on  the  borders  of  this  forest, 
doubtless  one  of  the  finest  of  Captain  Nemo's  immense 
domains.  He  looked  upon  it  as  his  own,  and  considered 
he  had  the  same  right  over  it  that  the  first  men  had  in 
the  first  days  of  the  world.  And,  indeed,  who  would 
have  disputed  with  him  the  possession  of  this  submarine 
property?  What  other  hardier  pioneer  would  come,  hatchet 
in  hand,  to  cut  down  the  dark  copses? 

This  forest  was  composed  of  large  tree-plants:  and  the 
moment  we  penetrated  under  its  vast  arcades,  I  was  struck 
by  the  singular  position  of  their  branches — a  position  I 
had  not  yet  observed. 

Not  an  herb  which  carpeted  the  ground,  not  a  branch 
which  clothed  the  trees,  was  either  broken  or  bent,  nor 
did  they  extend  horizontaly;  all  stretched  up  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  ocean.  Not  a  filament,  not  a  ribbon,  however 
thin  they  might  be,  but  kept  as  straight  as  a  rod  of  iron. 
The  fuel  and  llianas  grew  in  rigid  perpendicular  lines,  due 


86  30,000    LEAGUES    UKDEK    THE    SEAS. 

to  the  density  of  the  element  which  had  produced  them. 
Motionless,  yet,  when  bent  to  one  side  by  the  hand,  they 
directly  resumed  their  former  position.  Truly  it  was  the 
region  of  perpendicularity! 

I  soon  accustomed  myself  to  this  fantastic  position,  as 
well  as  to  the  comparative  darkness  which  surrounded  us. 
The  soil  of  the  forest  seemed  covered  with  sharp  blocks, 
difficult  to  avoid.  The  submarine  flora  struck  me  as  be- 
ing very  perfect,  and  richer  even  than  it  would  have  been 
in  the  arctic  or  tropical  zones,  where  these  productions 
are  not  so  plentiful.  But  for  some  minutes  I  involun- 
tarily confounded  the  genera,  taking  zoophytes  for  hydro- 
phytes, animals  for  plants;  and  who  would  not  have  been 
mistaken?  The  fauna  and  the  flora  are  too  clo  sely  allied 
in  this  submarine  world. 

These  plants  are  self-propagated,  and  the  principle  of 
their  existence  is  in  the  water,  which  upholds  and  nourishes 
them.  The  greater  number,  instead  of  leaves,  shoot  forth 
blades  of  capricious  shapes  comprised  within  a  scale  of 
colors — pink,  carmine,  green,  olive,  fawn  and  brown.  I 
saw  there  (but  not  dried  up,  as  our  specimens  of  the  Nau- 
tilus are)  pavonari  spread  like  a  fan,  as  if  to  catch  the 
breeze;  scarlet  ceramics,  whose  iamiuaries  extended  their 
edible  shoots  of  fern-shaped  nereocysti,  which  grow  to  a 
height  of  fifteen  feet;  clusters  of  acetabuli,  whose  stems  in- 
crease in  size  upward;  and  numbers  of  otiier  marine  plants, 
all  devoid  of  flowers! 

"Curious  anomaly!  fantastic  element!"  said  an  ingeni- 
ous naturalist,  "  in  which  the  animal  kingdom  blossoms, 
and  the  vegetable  does  not!" 

Under  these  numerous  shrubs  (as  large  as  trees  of  the 
temperate  zone),  and  under  their  damp  shadow,  were 
massed  together  real  bashes  of  living  flowers,  hedges  of 
zoophytes,  on  which  blossomed  some  zebra  meandrines, 
with  crooked  grooves;  some  yellow  caryophylliae;  and,  to 
complete  the  illusion,  the  fish-flies  flew  from  branch  to 
branch  like  a  swarm  of  humming-birds;  whilst  yellow 
lepisacomthi,  with  bristling  jaws,  dactylopteri,  and  mono- 
centrides  rose  at  our  feet  like  a  flight  of  snipes. 

In  about  an  hour  Captain  Nemo  gave  the  signal  to  halt. 
I,  for  my  part,  was  not  sorry;  and  we  stretched  ourselves 
under  an  arbor  of  alarise,  the  long  thin  blades  of  which 
»tood  up  like  arrow*.  , 


20,000    LEAGUES    UXDER    THE    SEAS.  87 

This  short  rest  seemed  delicious  to  me;  there  was  nothing 
wanting  but  the  charm  of  conversation;  but  impossible  to 
speak,  impossible  to  answer,  I  only  put  my  great  copper 
head  to  Conseil's.  T  saw  the  worthy  fellow's  eyes  glisten- 
ing with  delight,  and  to  show  his  satisfaction,  he  shook 
himself  in  his  breastplate  of  air  in  the  most  comical  way 
in  the  world. 

After  four  hours  of  this  walking  I  was  surprised  not  to 
find  myself  dreadfully  hungry.  How  to  account  for  this 
state  of  the  stomach  I  could  not  tell.  But  instead,  I  felt 
an  insurmountable  desire  to  sleep,  which  happens  to  all 
divers;  and  my  eyes  soon  closed  behind  the  thick  glasses, 
and  I  fell  into  a  he&vy  slumber,  which  the  movement  alone 
had  prevented  before.  Captain  Nemo  and  his  robust  com- 
panion, stretched  in  the  clear  crystal,  set  us  the  example. 

How  long  I  remained  buried  in  this  drowsiness,  I  can- 
not judge;  but,  when  I  woke,  the  sun  seemed  sinking 
toward  the  horizon.  Captain  Nemo  had  already  risen, 
and  I  was  beginning  to  stretch  my  limbs,  when  an  unex- 
pected apparition  brought  me  briskly  to  my  feet. 

A  few  steps  off,  a  monster  sea-spider,  about  thirty -eight 
inches  high,  was  watching  me  with  squinting  eyes,  ready  to 
spring  upon  me.  Though  my  diver's  dress  was  tluck 
enough  to  defend  me  from  the  bite  of  this  animal,  I  could 
not  help  shuddering  with  horror.  Conseil  and  the  sailors 
of  the  Nautilus  awoke  at  this  moment.  Captain  Nemo 
pointed  out  the  hideous  crustacean,  which  a  blow  from 
tlie  butt-end  of  the  gun  knocked  over,  and  I  saw  the 
claws  of  the  horrible  monster  writhe  in  terrible  convul- 
sions. This  accident  reminded  me  that  other  animals 
more  to  be  feared  might  haunt  these  obscure  depths, 
against  whose  attacks  my  diving-dress  would  not  protect 
me.  I  had  never  thought  of  it  before,  but  I  now  resolved 
to  be  upon  my  guard.  Indeed,  I  thought  this  halt  would 
mark  the  termination  of  our  walk;  but  I  was  mistaken, 
for,  instead  of  returning  to  the  Nautilus,  Captain  Nemo 
continued  his  bold  excursion.  The  ground  was  still  on 
the  incline,  its  declivity  seemed  to  be  getting  greater,  and 
to  be  leading  us  to  greater  depths.  It  must  have  been 
about  three  o'clock  when  we  reached  a  narrow  valley, 
between  high,  perpendicular  walls,  situated  about  seventy- 
five  fathoms  deep.  Thanks  to  the  perfection  of  our  appa- 
ratus, we  are  forty-five  faLhoms  below  the  limit  which 


88  20,000    LEAGUES    UJ!fDEK    THE    SEAS. 

iiHtnre  seems  to  have  imposed  on  man  as  to  his  subm- 
arine excursions. 

I  say  seventy- fire  fathoms,  though  I  had  no  instrument 
by  which  to  judge  the  distance.  But  I  know  that  even 
in  the  clearest  waters  the  solar  rays  could  not  penetrate 
fnrther.  And  accordingly  the  darkness  deepened.  At 
ten  paces  not  on  object  was  visible.  I  was  groping  my 
way,  when  I  suddenly  saw  a  brilliant  white  light.  Cap- 
tain Nemo  had  just  put  his  electric  apparatus  into  use; 
his  companion  did  the  same,  and  Conseil  and  I  followed 
their  example.  By  turning  a  screw  I  established  a  com- 
munication between  the  wire  and  the  spiral  glass,  and  the 
sea,  lit  by  our  four  lanterns,  was  illuminated  for  a  circle 
of  thirty-six  yards. 

Captain  Nemo  was  still  plunging  into  the  dark  depths 
of  the  forest,  whose  trees  were  getting  sparcer  at  every 
step.  I  noticed  that  vegetable  life  disappeared  sooner 
than  animal  life.  The  medusae  had  already  abandoned 
the  arid  soil,  from  which  a  great  number  of  animals, 
zoophytes,  molluscs,  and  fishes,  still  obtained  suste- 
nance. 

As  we  walked,  I  thought  the  light  of  our  RuhmkorfE 
apparatus  could  not  fail  to  draw  some  inhabitant  from  its 
dark  couch.  But  if  they  did  approach  us  they  at  least 
kept  a  respectful  distance  from  the  hunters.  Several  times 
1  saw  Captain  Nemo  stop,  put  his  gun  to  his  shoulder, 
and  after  some  moments  drop  it  and  walk  on.  At  last, 
after  about  four  hours,  this  marvelous  excursion  came  to 
an  end.  A  wall  of  superb  rocks,  in  an  imposing  mass, 
rose  before  us,  a  heap  of  gigantic  blocks,  an  enormous 
steep  granite  shore,  forming  dark  grottos,  but  which  pre- 
sented no  practicable  slope:  it  was  the  prop  of  the  Island 
of  Crespo.  It  was  the  earth!  Captain  Nemo  stopped 
suddenly.  A  gesture  of  his  brought  us  all  to  a  halt;  and 
however  desirous  I  might  be  to  scale  the  wall,  I  was  obliged 
to  stop.  Here  ended  Captain  Nemo's  domains,  and  he 
would  not  go  beyond  them.  Furtlier  on  was  a  portion  of 
the  globe  he  might  not  trample  upon. 

The  return  began.  Captain  Nemo  had  returned  to  the 
head  of  his  little  band,  directing  their  course  without  hesi- 
tation. I  thought  we  were  not  following  the  same  road  to 
return  to  the  I^autilus.  The  new  road  was  very  steep, 
and  consequently  very  painful.     We  approached  the  sur- 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  89 

face  of  the  sea  rapidly,  but  this  return  to  the  upper  strata 
was  not  so  sudden  as  to  cause  relief  from  the  pressure  too 
rapidly,  which  might  have  produced  serious  disorder  in 
our  organization,  and  brought  on  internal  lesions,  so  fatal 
to  divers.  Very  soon  light  reappeared  and  grew,  and  the 
sun  being  low  on  the  horizon,  the  refraction  edged  the 
different  objects  with  a  spectral  ring.  At  ten  yards  and 
a  half  deep  we  walked  amidst  a  shoal  of  little  fishes  of  all 
kinds,  more  numerous  than  the  birds  of  the  air,  and  also 
more  agile;  but  no  aquatic  game  worthy  of  a  shot  had  as 
yet  met  our  gaze,  when  at  that  moment  I  saw  the  captain 
shoulder  his  gun  quickly,  and  follow  a  moving  object  into 
the  shrubs.  He  fired — I  heard  a  slight  hissing,  and  a 
creature  fell  stunned  at  some  distance  from  us.  It  was  a 
magnificent  sea-otter,  an  enhydrus,  the  only  exclusively 
marine  quadruped.  This  otter  was  five  feet  long,  and 
must  have  been  very  valuable.  Its  skin,  chestnut-brown 
above  and  silvery  underneath,  would  have  made  one  of 
those  beautiful  furs  so  sought  after  in  the  Eussian  rnd 
Chinese  markets;  the  fineness  and  the  luster  of  its  coat 
would  certainly  fetch  £80.  I  admired  this  curious  mammal, 
with  its  rounded  head  ornamented  with  short  ears,  it's 
round  eyes,  and  white  whiskers  like  those  of  a  cat,  with 
webbed  feet  and  nails,  and  tufted  tail.  This  precious 
animal,  hunted  and  tracked  by  fishermen,  has  now  become 
Tery  rare,  and  taken  refuge  chiefly  in  the  northern  parts 
of  the  Pacific,  or  probably  its  race  would  soon  become  ex* 
tinct. 

Captain  Nemo's  companion  took  the  beast,  threw  it 
over  his  shoulder,  and  we  continued  on  our  journey.  For 
an  hour  a  plain  of  sand  lay  stretched  before  us.  Some- 
times it  rose  to  within  two  yards  and  some  inches  of 
the  surface  of  the  water.  I  then  saw  our  image  clearly 
reflected,  drawn  inversely,  an  J  above  us- appeared  an  iden- 
tical group  reflecting  our  movements  and  our  actions;  in 
a  word,  like  us  in  every  point,  except  that  they  walked 
with  their  heads  downward  and  their  feet  in  the  air. 

Another  effect  noticed,  which  was  the  passage  of  thick 
clouds  which  formed  and  vanished  rapidly;  but  on  reflec- 
tion I  understood  that  these  seeming  clouds  were  due  to 
the  varying  thickness  of  the  reeds  at  the  bottom,  and  I 
could  even  see  the  fleecy  foam  which  their  broken  tops 
multiplied  on  the  water,  and  the  shadows  of  large  bir4s 


90  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

passing  above  our  heads,  whose  rapid  flight  I  could  dis- 
cern on  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

On  this  occasion  I  was  witness  to  one  of  the  finest  gun- 
shots that  ever  made  the  nerves  of  a  liunter  thrill.  A  large 
bird,  of  great  breadth  of  wing,  clearly  visible,  approached, 
hovering  over  us.  Captain  Nemo's  companion  shouldered 
his  gun  and  fired,  when  it  was  only  a  few  yards  above  the 
waves.  The  creature  fell  stunned,  and  the  force  of  its 
fall  brought  it  within  reach  of  the  dexterous  hunter's 
grasp.     It  was  an  albatross  of  the  finest  kind. 

Our  march  had  not  been  interrupted  by  this  incident. 
For  two  hours  we  followed  these  sandy  plains,  then  fields  of 
alg£e  very  disagreeable  to  cross.  Candidly,  I  could  do  no 
more  when  I  saw  a  glimmer  of  light,  which  for  a  half- 
mile  broke  the  darkness  of  the  waters.  It  was  the  lantern 
of  the  Nautilus.  Before  twenty  minutes  were  over  we 
should  be  on  board,  and  I  should  be  able  to'  breathe  with 
ease;  for  it  seemed  that  my  reservoir  supplied  air  very 
deficient  in  oxygen.  But  I  did  not  reckon  on  an  acci- 
dental meeting,  which  delayed  our  arrival  for  some  time. 

I  had  remained  some  steps  behind,  when  I  presently 
saw  Captain  Nemo  coming  hurriedly  toward  me.  With 
his  strong  hand  he  bent  me  to  the  ground,  his  companion 
doing  the  same  to  Conseil.  At  first  I  knew  not  what  to 
think  of  this  sudden  attack,  but  I  was  soon  reassured  by 
seeing  the  captain  lie  down  beside  me,  and  remain  im- 
movable. 

I  was  stretched  on  the  ground,  just  under  shelter  of  a 
bush  of  algae,  when,  rising  my  head,  I  saw  some  enor- 
mous mass,  casting  phosphorescent  gleams,  pass  bluster- 
ingly  by. 

My  blood  froze  in  my  veins  as  I  recognized  two  formid- 
able sharks  which  threatened  us.  It  was  a  couple  of 
tintoreas,  terrible  creatures,  with  enormous  tails  and  a 
dull  glassy  stare,  the  phosphorescent  matter  ejected  from 
holes  pierced  around  the  muzzle.  Monstrous  brutes! 
which  would  crush  a  whole  man  in  their  iron  jaws.  I  did 
not  know  whether  Conseil  stopped  to  classify  them;  for 
my  part,  I  noticed  their  silver  bellies,  and  their  huge 
mouths  bristling  with  teeth,  from  a  very  unscientific  point 
of  view,  and  more  as  a  possible  victim  than  as  a  natur- 
alist. 

Happily  the  Yoracious  creatures  do  not  see  well.     They 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  91 

passed  without  seeing  us,  brushing  us  with  their  brownish 
fins,  and  we  escaped  by  a  miracle  from  a  danger  certainly 
greater  than  meeting  a  tiger  full-face  in  the  forest.  Half 
an  hour  after,  guided  by  the  electric  light,  we  reached  the 
Nautilus.  The  outside  door  had  been  left  open,  and  Cap- 
tain Nemo  closed  it  as  soon  as  we  had  entered  the  first 
cell.  He  then  pressed  a  knob.  I  heard  the  pumps  work- 
ing in  the  midst  of  the  vessel,,!  felt  the  water  sinking 
from  around  me,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  cell  was  entire- 
ly empty.  The  inside  door  then  opened,  and  we  entered 
the  vestry. 

There  our  diving-dress  was  taken  off,  not  without  some 
trouble;  and,  fairly  worn  out  from  want  of  food  and  sleep, 
I  returned  to  my  room,  in  great  wonder  at  this  surprising 
excursion  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 


CHAPTEE  XVII. 

UNDER    THE    PACIFIC. 

The  next  morning,  the  18th  of  November,  I  had  iquite 
recovered  from  my  fatigues  of  the  day  before,  and  I  went 
up  on  to  the  platform,  just  as  the  second  lieutenant  was 
uttering  his  daily  phrase. 

I  was  admiring  the  magnificent  aspect  of  the  ocean  when 
Captain  Nemo  appeared.  He  did  not  seem  to  be  aware  of 
my  presence,  and  began  a  series  of  astronomical  observa- 
tions. Then,  when  he  had  finished,  he  went  and  leant'on 
the  cage  of  the  watch-light,  and  gazed  abstractedly  on  the 
ocean.  In  the  meantime,  a  number  of  the  sailors  of  the 
Nautilus,  all  strong  and  healthy  men,  had  come  up  on  to 
the  platform.  They  came  to  draw  up  the  nets  that  had 
been  laid  all  night.  These  sailors  were  evidently  of  differ- 
ent nations,  although  the  European  type  was  visible  in  all 
of  them.  I  recognized  some  unmistakable  Irishmen, 
Frenchmen,  some  Sclaves,  and  a  Greek  or  a  Candiote. 
They  were  civil,  and  only  used  that  odd  language  among 
themselves,  the  origin  of  which  I  could  not  guess,  neither 
could  I  question  them. 

The  nets  were  hauled  in.  They  were  a  large  kind  of 
"chaluts,"  like  those  on  the  Normandy  coasts,  great  pock- 
ets that  the.  waves  and  a  chain  fixed  in  the  smaller  meshes, 


&3  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.~ 

kept  open.  These  pockets,  drawn  by  iron  poles,  swept 
through  the  water,  and  gathered  in  everything  in  their 
way.  That  day  they  brought  up  curious  specimens  from 
those  productive  coasts — fishing-frogs  that,  from  their 
comical  movements,  have  acquired  the  name  of  buffoons; 
black  commersons,  furnished  with  antennae;  trigger-fish, 
encircled  with  red  bands;  orthragorisci,  with  very  subtle 
venom;  some  olive-colored  lampreys;  macrorhynci,  cov- 
ered with  silvery  scales;  trichiuri,  the  electric  power  of 
wliich  is  equal  to  that  of  the  gymnotus  and  cramp-fish; 
scaly  nqtopteri,  with  transverse  brown  bands;  greenish 
cod;  several  varieties  of  gobies,  etc.,  also  some  larger  fish; 
a  caranx  with  a  prominent  head  a  yard  long;  several  fine 
bonitos,  streaked  with  blue  and  silver;  and  three  splendid 
tunnies,  which,  spite  of  the  swiftness  of  their  motion,  had 
not  escaped  the  net. 

I  reckoned  that  the  haul  had  brought  in  more  than  nine 
hundred  weight  of  fish.  It  was  a  fine  haul,  but  not  to  be 
wondered  at.  Indeed,  the  nets  are  let  down  for  several 
hours,  and  inclose  in  their  meshes  an  infinite  variety. 
We  had  no  lack  of  excellent  food,  and  the  rapidity  of  the 
Nautilus  and  the  attraction  of  the  electric  light  could  al- 
ways renew  our  supply.  These  several  productions  of  the 
sea  were  immediately  lowered  through  the  panel  to  the 
steward's  room,  some  to  be  eaten  fresh,  and  others 
pickled. 

The  fishing  ended,  the  provision  of  air  renewed,  I 
thought  that  the  Nautilus  was  about  to  continue  its  sub- 
marine excursion,  and  was  preparing  to  return  to  my 
room,  when,  without  further  preamble,  the  captain  turned 
to  me,  saying: 

*'  Professor,  is  not  this  ocean  gifted  with  real  life?  It 
lias  its  tempers  and  its  gentle  moods.  Yesterday  it  slept 
as  we  did,  and  now  it  has  woke  after  a  quiet  night. 
Look!"  he  continued,  '^' it  wakes  under  the  caresses  of 
the  sun.  It  is  going  to  renew  its  diurnal  existence.  It  is 
an  interesting  study  to  watch  the  play  of  its  organization. 
It  has  a  pulse,  arteries,  spasms;  and  I  agree  with  the 
learned  Maury,  who  discovered  in  it  a  circulation  as  real 
as  the  circulation  of  blood  in  animals. 

''Yes,  the  ocean  has  indeed  circulation,  and  to  promote 
it  the  Creator  has  caused  things  to  multiply  in  it — calorie, 
salt;  auimalculsQ."  *  < 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  93 

When  Captain  Nemo  spoke  thus,  he  seemed  altogether 
changed,  and  aroused  an  extraordinary  emotion  in  me. 

"Also,"  he  added,  "true  existence  is  there;  and  I  can 
imagine  the  foundations  of  nautical  towns,  clusters  of 
submarine  houses,  which,  like  the  Nautilus,  would  ascend 
every  morning  to  breathe  at  the  surface  of  the  water — 
free  towns,  independent  cities.  Yet  who  knows  whether 
some  despot " 

Captain  Nemo  finished  his  sentence  with  a  violent  gest- 
ure. Then,  addressing  me  as  if  to  chase  away  some  sor- 
rowful thought — "  M.  Aronnax,"  he  asked,  "  do  you  know 
the  depth  of  the  ocean?" 

"I  only  know.  Captain,  what  the  principal  soundings 
have  taught  us." 

"  Could  you  tell  me  them,  so  that  I  can  suit  them  to 
my  purpose?" 

"  These  are  some,"  I  replied,  "  that  I  remember.  If 
I  am  not  mistaken,  a  depth  of  8,000  yards  has  been  found 
in  tlie  North  Atlantic,  and  2,500  yards  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean. The  most  remarkable  soundings  have  been  made 
in  the  South  Atlantic,  near  the  35th  parallel,  and  they 
gave  12,000  yards,  14,000  yards,  and  15,000  yards.  To 
sum  up  all,  it  is  reckoned  that  if  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
were  leveled,  its  mean  depth  would  be  about  one  and 
three-quarter  leagues." 

"  Well,  Professor,"  replied  the  Captain,  "  we  shall 
show  you  better  than  that,  I  hope.  As  to  the  mean 
depth  of  this  part  of  the  Pacific,  I  tell  you  it  is  only  4,000 
yards." 

Having  said  this.  Captain  Nemo  went  toward  the 
panel,  and  disappeared  down  the  ladder.  I  followed  him, 
and  went  into  the  large  drawing-room.  The  screw  was 
immediately  put  in  motion,  and  the  log  gave  twenty  miles 
an  hour. 

During  the  days  and  weeks  that  passed.  Captain  Nemo 
was  very  sparing  of  his  visits.  I  seldom  saw  him.  The 
lieutenant  picked  tlie  ship's  course  regularly  on  the  chart, 
so  I  could  always  tell  exactly  the  route  of  the  Nautilus. 

Nearly  every  day,  for  some  time,  the  panels  of  the 
drawing-room  were  opened,  and  we  were  never  tired  of 
penetrating  the  mysteries  of  the  submarine  world. 

The  general  direction  of  the  Nautilus  was  southeast, 
and  it  kept  between  100  and  150  yards  of  depth.     One 


94  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    8BAS. 

day,  however,  I  do  not  know  why,  being  drawn  diag- 
onally by  means  of  the  inclined  planes,  it  touched  the 
bed  of  the  sea.  The  thermometer  indicated  a  tempera- 
ture of  4.25  (cent.);  a  temperature  that  at  this  depth 
seemed  common  to  all  latitudes. 

At  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  26th  of  No- 
rember,  the  Nautilus  crossed  the  tropic  of  Cancer  at  112° 
longitude.  On  the  27th  instant  it  sighted  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  where  Cook  died,  February  14,  1779.  We  had 
then  gone  4,860  leagues  from  our  starting-point.  In  the 
morning,  when  I  went  on  the  platform,  I  saw  two  miles 
to  windward,  Hawaii,  the  largest  of  the  seven  islands  that 
form  the  group.  I  saw  clearly  the  cultivated  ranges,  and 
the  several  mountain  chains  that  run  parallel  with  the 
side,  and  the  volcanoes  that  overtop  Mount-Rea,  which 
rise  5,000  yards  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Besides  other 
things  the  nets  brought  up,  were  several  flabellarise  and 
graceful  polypi,  that  are  peculiar  to  that  part  of  the  ocean. 
The  direction  of  the  Nautilus  was  still  to  the  southeast. 
It  crossed  the  equator  December  1,  in  142**  longtitude;  and 
on  the  4th  of  the  same  month,  after  crossing  rapidly  and 
without  anything  particular  occurring,  we  sighted  the 
Marquesas  group.  1  saw,  three  miles  off,  at  8**  57'  latitude 
south,  and  139**  32'  west  longitude,  Martin's  beak  in 
Nouka-Hiva,  the  largest  of  the  group  that  belongs  to 
France.  I  only  saw  the  woody  mountains  against  the 
horizon,  because  Captain  Nemo  did  not  wish  to  bring  the 
ship  to  the  wind.  There  the  nets  brought  up  beautiful 
specimens  of  fish  choryphenes,  with  azure  fins  and  tails 
like  gold,  the  flesh  of  which  is  unrivaled,  hologymnoses, 
nearly  destitude  of  scales,  but  of  exquisite  flavor;  os- 
torhyncs,  with  the  bony  jaws,  and  yellow-tinged  thasards, 
as  good  as  bonitos;  all  fish  that  would  be  of  use  to  us. 
After  leaving  these  charming  islands  protected  by  th« 
French  flag,  from  the  4th  to  the  11th  of  December,  the 
Nautilus  sailed  over  about  2,000  miles.  This  navigation 
was  remarkable  for  the  meeting  with  an  immense  shoal  of 
calmars,  near  neighbors  to  the  cuttle.  The  French  fish- 
ermen called  them  hornets;  they  belong  to  the  cepha- 
lopod  class,  and  to  the  dibranchial  family,  that  com- 
prehends the  cuttles  and  the  argonauts.  These  animals 
were  particularly  studied  by  the  students  of  antiquity,  and 
they  furnished  numerous  metaphors  to  the  popular  orators, 


30,000    LEAGUES    CINDER    THE    SEAS.  95 

as-vfell  as  excellent  dishes  for  the  tables  of  the  rich  citizens, 
if  one  can  believe  AthenaBUS,  a  Greek  doctor,  who  lived  be- 
fore Galen.  It  was  during  the  night  of  the  9th  or  10th  ol 
December  that  the  Nantilus  came  across  this  shoal  of 
molluscs,  that  are  peculiarly  nocturnal.  One  could  count 
them  by  millions.  They  emigrate  from  the  temperate  to 
warmer  zones,  following  the  track  of  the  herrings  and 
sardines.  We  watched  them  through  the  thick  crystal 
panes,  swimming  down  the  wind  with  great  rapidity, 
moving  by  means  of  their  locomotive  tube,  pursuing  fish 
and  molluscs,  eating  the  little  ones,  eaten  by  the  big  ones, 
and  tossing  about  in  indescribable  confusion  the  ten  arms 
that  nature  has  placed  on  their  heads  like  a  crest  of 
pneumatic  serpents.  The  Nautilus,  in  spite  of  its  speed. 
Mailed  for  several  hours  in  the  midst  of  these  animals,  and' 
its  nets  brought  in  an  enormous  quantity,  among  which  I 
recognized  the  nine  species  that  D'Orbigny  classed  for  the 
Pacific.  One  saw,  while  crossing,  that  the  sea  displays  the 
most  wonderful  sights.  They  were  in  endless  variety. 
The  scene  changed  continually,  and  we  were  called  upon 
not  only  to  contemplate  the  works  of  the  Creator  in  the 
midst  of  the  liquid  element,  but  to  penetrate  the  awful 
mysteries  of  the  ocean. 

During  the  daytime  of  the  11th  of  December,  I  was  busy 
reading  in  the  large  drawing-room.  Ned  Land  and  Con- 
seil  watched  the  luminous  water  through  the  half-open 
panels.  The  Nautilus  was  immovable.  While  its  reser- 
voirs were  filled,  it  kept  at  a  depth  of  l,OjOO  yards,  a  region 
rarely  visited  in  the  ocean,  and  in  which  large  fish  were 
seldom  seen. 

I  was  then  reading  a  charming  book  by  Jean  Mace, 
"  The  Slaves  of  the  Stomach,"  and  I  was  learning  some 
valuable  lessons  from  it,  when  Conseil  interrupted  me. 

"  Will  master  come  here  a  moment?"  he  said,  in  a 
curious  voice. 

*'  What  is  the  matter,  Conseil?" 

"  I  want  master  to  look."  t 

I  rose,  went  and  leaned  on  my  elbows  before  the  panes, 
and  watched. 

In  a  full  electric  light  an  enormous  black  mass,  quite 
immovable,  was  suspended  in  the  midst  of  the  waters.  I 
watched  it  attentively,  seeking  to  find  out  the  nature  of 


96  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

this  gigantic  cetacean.     But  a  sudden  thought  crossed  my 
mind.     **  A  vessel!"  I  said,  half  aloud. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Canadian,  "  a  disabled  ship  that  has 
sunk  perpendicularly." 

Ned  Land  was  right;  we  were  close  to  a  vessel  of  which 
the  tattered  shrouds  still  hung  from  their  chains.  The 
keel  seemed  to  be  in  good  order,  and  it  had  been  wrecked 
at  most  some  few  years.  Three  stumps  of  masts,  broken 
off  about  two  feet  above  the  bridge,  showed  that  the  vessel 
had  had  to  sacri6ce  its  masts.  But,  lying  on  its  side,  it 
had  filled,  and  it  was  heeling  over  to  port.  This  skeleton 
of  what  it  had  once  been  was  a  sad  spectacle  as  it  lay  lost 
under  the  waves;  but  sadder  still  was  the  sight  of  the 
bridge,  where  some  corpses,  bound  with  ropes,  were  still 
lying.  I  counted  five — four  men,  one  of  whom  was  stand- 
ing at  the  helm,  and  a  woman  standing  by  the  poop  hold- 
ing an  infant  in  her  arms.  She  was  quite  young.  I  could 
distinguish  her  features,  which  the  water  had  not  decom- 
posed, by  the  brilliant  light  from  the  Nautilus.  In  one 
despairing  effort,  she  had  raised  her  infant  above  her  head, 
poor  little  thing!  whose  arms  encircled  its  mother's  neck. 
The  attitude  of  the  four  sailors  was  frightful,  distorted  as 
they  were  by  their  convulsive  movements,  whilst  making 
a  last  effort  to  free  themselves  from  the  cords  that  bound 
them  to  the  vessel.  The  steersman  alone,  calm,  with  a 
grave  clear  face,  his  gray  hair  glued  to  his  forehead,  and 
his  hand  clutching  the  wheel  of  the  helm,  seemed  even 
then  to  be  guiding  the  three  broken  masts  through  the 
depths  of  the  ocean. 

What  a  scene!    We  were  dumb;  our  hearts  beat  fast 
before  this  shipwreck,  taken,  as  it  were  from  life,  and 
photographed  in  its  last  moments.     And  1  saw  already, 
coming  toward  it  with  hungry  eyes,   enormous  sharks 
attracted  by  the  human  flesh. 

However,  the  Nautilus,  turning,  went  round  the  sub- 
merged vessel,  and  in  one  instant  I  read  on  the  stern, 
"  The  Florida,  Sunderland." 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    3BAS.  O*? 


CHAPTEE  XVIII. 

VANIKORO. 

This  terrible  spectacle  was  the  forerunner  of  the  series 
of  maritime  catastrophes  that  the  Nautilus  was  destined 
to  meet  with  in  its  route.  As  long  as  it  went  through 
more  frequented  waters,  we  often  saw  the  hulls  of  ship- 
wrecked vessels  that  were  rotting  in  the  depths,  and, 
deeper  down,  cannons,  bullets,  anchors,  chains,  and  a  thou- 
sand other  iron  materials  eaten  up  by  rust.  However,  on 
the  11th  of  December  we  sighted  the  Pomotou  Islands, 
the  old  ''  dangerous  group  of  Bougainville,  that  extend 
over  a  space  of  500  leagues  at  E.S.E.  to  W.N.W.,  from  the 
Island  Ducie  to  that  of  Lazareff.  This  group  covers  an 
area  of  370  square  leagues,  and  is  formed  of  sixty  groups  of 
islands,  among  which  the  Gambler  group  are  remarkable, 
over  which  France  exercises  sway.  These  are  coral  islands, 
slowly  raised,  but  continuous,  created  by  the  daily  work 
of  polypi.  Then  this  new  island  will  be  joined  later  on  to 
the  neighboring  groups,  and  a  fifth  continent  will  stretch 
from  New  Zealand  and  New  Caledonia,  and  from  thence 
to  the  Marquesas. 

One  day,  when  I  was  suggesting  this  theory  to  Captain 
Nemo,  he  replied,  coldly: 

"  The  earth  does  not  want  new  continents,  but  nevr 
m6n." 

Chance  had  conducted  the  Nautilus  toward  the  island 
of  Clermont- Tonnerre,  one  of  the  most  curious  of  the  group 
that  was  discovered  in  1823  by  Captain  Bell  of  the  Mi- 
nerva. I  could  study  now  the  madreporal  system,  to 
which  are  due  the  islands  in  this  ocean. 

Madrepores  (which  must  not  be  mistaken  for  corals) 
have  a  tissue  lined  with  a  calcareous  crust,  and  the  moai- 
fications  of  its  structure  have  induced  M.  Milne-Edwards, 
my  worthy  master,  to  class  them  into  five  sections.  Tlie 
animalculse  that  the  marine  polypus  secretes  live  by  mill- 
ions at  the  bottom  of  their  cells.  Their  calcareous  de- 
posits become  rocks,  reefs,  and  large  and  small  islands. 
Here  they  form  a  ring,  surrounding  a  little  inland  hike, 
that  communicates  with  the  sea  by  means  of  gaps.    There 


98  »0,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

they  make  barriers  of  reefs  like  those  on  the  coasts  of  New 
Caledonia  and  the  various  Pomotou  islands.  In  other 
places,  like  those  at  Reunion  and  at  Maurice,  they  raise 
fringed  reefs,  high,  straight  walls,  near  which  the  depth 
of  the  ocean  is  considerable. 

Some  cable-lengths  off  the  shores  of  the  islands  of  Cler- 
mont, I  admired  the  gigantic  work  accomplished  by  these 
microscopical  workers.  These  walls  are  specially  the  work 
of  those  madrepores,  known  as  milleporas,  porites,  madre- 
pores, and  astraeas.  The  polypi  are  found  particularly  in 
the  rough  beds  of  the  sea,  near  the  surface;  and  conse- 
quently it  is  from  the  upper  part  that  they  begin  their 
operations  in  which  they  bury  themselves  by  degrees  with 
the  debris  of  the  secretions  that  support  them.  Such  is, 
at  leas*,  Darwin's  theory,  who  thus  explains  the  formation 
of  atolls,  a  superior  theory  (to  my  mind)  to  that  given  of 
the  foundation  of  the  madreporical  works,  summits  of 
mountains  or  volcanoes  that  are  submerged  some  feet  be- 
low the  level  of  the  sea. 

I  could  observe  closely  these  curious  walls,  for  perpen- 
dicularly they  were  more  than  300  yards  deep,  and  our 
electric  sheets  lighted  up  this  calcareous  matter  brilliantly. 
Replying  to  a  question  Conseil  asked  me  as  to  the  time 
these  colossal  barriers  took  to  be  raised,  I  astonished  him 
much  by  telling  him  that  learned  men  reckoned  it  about 
the  eighth  of  an  inch  in  a  hundred  years. 

Toward  evening  Clermont-Tonnerre  was  lost  in  the 
distance,  and  the  route  of  the  Nautilus  was  sensibly 
changed.  After  having  crossed  the  tropic  of  Capricorn  in 
135°  longitude,  it  sailed  W.N.W.,  making  again  for  the 
tropical  zone.  Although  the  summer  sun  was  very  strong, 
we  did  not  suffer  from  heat,  for  at  fifteen  or  twenty  fath- 
oms below  the  surface,  the  temperature  did  not  rise  from 
ten  to  twelve  degrees. 

On  December  15,  we  left  to  the  east  the  bewitching 
group  of  Societies  and  the  graceful  Tahiti,  queen  of  the 
Pacific.  I  saw  in  the  morning,  some  miles  to  the  wind- 
ward, the  elevated  summit  of  this  island.  These  waters 
furnished  our  table  with  excellent  fish,  mackerel,  bonifcos 
and  albicores,  and  some  varieties  of  a  sea-serpent  called 
munirophis. 

On  the  25th  of  December  the  Nautilus  sailed  into  the 
midst  flkf  ^^^  New  Hebrides,  discovered  by  Quires  in  1606, 


.       20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  99 

and  that  Bougainville  explored  in  1768,  and  to  which 
Cook  gave  its  present  name  in  1773.  This  group  is  com- 
posed principally  of  nine  large  islands,  that  form  a  band 
of  120  leagues  N.KE.  to  S.S.W.,  between  15°  and  2° 
south  latitude,  and  164°  and  168°  longitude.  We  passed 
tolerably  near  to  the  island  of  Aurou,  that  at  noon  looked 
like  a  mass  of  green  woods  surmounted  by  a  peak  of  great 
height. 

That  day  being  Christmas  Day,  Ned  Land  seemed  to 
regret  solely  the  non- celebration  of  "Christmas,"  the 
family  f^te  of  which  Protestants  are  so  fond.  I  had  not 
seen  Captain  Nemo  for  a  week  when,  on  the  morning  of 
the  27th,  he  came  into  the  large  drawing-room,  always 
seeming  as  if  he  had  seen  you  five  minutes  before.  I  was 
busily  tracing  the  route  of  the  Nautilus  on  the  planisphere. 
The  Captain  came  up  to  me,  put  his  finger  on  one  spot  on 
the  chart,  and  said  this  single  word: 

"Vanikoro." 

The  effect  was  magical!  It  was  the  name  of  the  islands 
on  which  La  Perouse  had  been  lost!  I  rose  suddenly. 
*'  The  Nautilus  had  brought  us  to  Vanikoro?"  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  Professor, ".said  the  Captain. 

"  And  I  can  visit  the  celebrated  islands  where  the  Bous- 
sole  and  the  Astrolabe  struck?" 

"  If  you  like,  Professor." 

'*  When  shall  we  be  there?'* 

"  We  are  there  now." 

Followed  by  Captain  Nemo,  I  went  up  on  to  the  plat- 
form, and  greedily  scanned  the  horizon. 

To  the  N.E.  two  volcanic  islands  emerged,  of  unequal 
size,  surrounded  by  a  coral  reef  that  measured  forty  miles 
in  circumference. 

We  were  close  to  Vanikoro,  really  the  one  to  which 
Dumont  d'Urville  gave  the  name  of  Isle  de  la  Eecherche, 
and  exactly  facing  the  little  harbor  of  Vanou,  situated  in 
16"  4'  south  latitude,  and  164«  32'  east  longitude.  The 
earth  seemed  covered  with  verdure  from  the  shore  to  the 
summits  in  the  interior,  that  were  crowned  by  Mount 
Kapogo,  476  feet  high.  The  Nautilus,  having  passed  the 
outer  belt  of  rocks  by  a  narrow  strait,  found  itself  among 
breakers  where  the  sea  was  from  thirty  to  forty  fathoms 
deep.  Under  the  verdant  shade  of  some  mangroves  I  per- 
ceived some  savages,  who  appeared  greatly  surprised  at 


100  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS. 

our  approach.  In  the  long  black  body,  moving  between 
wind  and  water,  did  they  not  see  some  formidable  cetacean 
that  they  regarded  with  suspicion? 

Just  then  Captain  Nemo  asked  me  whac  I  knew  about 
the  wreck  of  La  Perouse. 

"  Only  what  every  one  knows,  Captain,"  I  replied. 

"  And  could  you  tell  me  what  every  one  knows  about 
it?"  he  inquired,  ironically.     '* Easily." 

I  related  to  him  all  that  the  last  works  of  Dumont 
d'Urville  had  made  known — works  from  which  the  follow- 
ing is  a  brief  account: 

La  Perouse,  and  his  second,  Captain  de  Langle,  were 
sent  by  Louis  XVL,  in  1785,  on  a  voyage  of  circumnavi- 
gation. They  embarked  in  the  corvettes  the  Boussole  and 
the  Astrolabe,  neither  of  which  were  again  heard  of.  In 
1791  the  French  government,  justly  uneasy  as  to  the  fate 
of  these  two  sloops,  manned  two  large  merchantmen,  the 
Recherche  and  the  Esperance,  which,  left  Brest  the  28th 
of  September,  under  the  command  of  Bruni  d'Entrecas- 
teaux. 

Two  months  after,  they  learned  from  Bowen,  com- 
mander of  the  Albemarle,  that  .the  debris  of  ship- 
wrecked vessels  had  been  seen  on  the  coast  of  New 
Georgia.  But  D'Eutrecasteaux,  ignoring  this  communi- 
cation— rather  uncertain,  besides — directed  his  course 
toward  the  Admiralty  Isles,  mentioned  in  a  report  of 
Captain  Hunter's  as  being  the  place  where  La  Perouse  was 
wrecked. 

They  sought  in  vain.  The  Esperance  and  the  Kecherche 
passed  before  Vanikoro  without  stopping  there,  and  in 
fact  this  voyage  was  most  disastrous,  as  it  cost  D'Eutre- 
casteaux his  life,  and  those  of  two  of  his  lieutenants, 
besides  several  of  his  crew. 

Captain  Dillon,  a  shrewd  old  Pacific  sailor,  was  the  first 
to  find  unmistakable  traces  of  the  wrecks.  On  the  I5th 
of  May,  18.24,  his  vessel,  the  St.  Patrick,  passed  close  to 
Tikopia,  one  of  the  New  Hebrides.  There  a  Lascar  came 
alongside  in  a  canoe,  sold  him  the  handle  of  a  sword  in 
silver,  that  bore  the  print  of  characters  engraved  on  the 
hilt.  The  Lascar  pretended  that  six  years  before,  during 
a  stay  at  Vanikoro,  he  had  seen  two  Europeans  that 
belonged  to  some  vessels  that  had  run  aground  on  the  reef» 
gome  years  ago. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  101 

Dillon  guessed  that  he  meant  La  Perouse,  whose  disap- 
pearance had  troubled  the  whole  world.  He  tried  to  get 
on  to  Vanikoro,  where,  according  to  the  Lascar,  he  would 
find  numerous  debris  of  the  wreck,  but  winds  and  tide 
prevented  him. 

Dillon  returned  to  Calcutta.  There  he  interested  the 
Asiatic  Society  and  the  Indian  Company  in  his  discovery. 
A  vessel,  to  which  was  given  the  name  of  Eecherche,  was 
put  at  his  disposal,  and  he  set  out,  January  23,  1827, 
accompanied  by  a  French  agent. 

The  Eecherche,  after  touching  at  several  points  in  the 
Pacific,  cast  anchor  before  Vanikoro,  July  7,  1827,  in  this 
same  harbor  of  Vanou,  where  the^  Nautilus  was  at  this 
time. 

There  it  collected  numerous  relics  of  the  wreck — iron 
utensils,  anchors,  pulley-strops,  swivel-guns,  an  18  lb. 
shot,  fragments  of  astronomical  instruments,  a  piece  of 
crown  work,  and  a  bronze  clock,  bearing  this  inscription 
— "  Bazin  Jii'afait,"  the  mark  of  the  foundry  of  the 
arsenal  at  Brest  about  1785.  There  could  be  no  further 
doubt. 

Dillon,  having  made  all  inquiries,  stayed  in  the  unlucky 
place  till  October.  Then  he  quitted  Vanikoro,  and  di- 
rected his  course  toward  New  Zealand;  put  into  Calcutta, 
April  7,  1828,  and  returned  to  France,  where  he  was 
warmly  welcomed  by  Charles  X. 

But  at  the  same  time,  without  knowing  Dillon's  move- 
ments, Dumont  d'Urville  had  already  set  out  to  find  the 
scene  of  the  wreck.  And  they  had  learned  from  a  whaler 
that  some  medals  and  a  cross  of  St.  Louis  had  been  found 
in  the  hands  of  some  savages  of  Louisiade  and  New  Cale- 
donia. Dumont  d'Urville,  commander  of  the  Astrolabe 
had  then  sailed,  and  two  months  after  Dillon  had  left  Vani- 
koro he  put  into  Hobart  Town.  There  he  learned  the 
results  of  Dillon's  inquiries,  and  found  that  a  certain 
James  Hobbs,  second  lieutenant  of  the  Union  of  Calcutta, 
after  landing  on  an  island  situated  8°  18'  south  latitude, 
and  156*^  30'  east  longitude,  had  seen  some  iron  bars  and 
red  stuffs  used  by  the  natives  of  these  parts.  Dumont 
d'Urville,  much  perplexed,  and  not  knowing  how  to  credit 
the  reports  of  low-class  journals,  decided  to  follow  Dillon's 
track. 

On  the  10th  of  February,  1828,  Astrolabe  appeared  off 


102  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEli    THE    SEAS. 

Tikopia,  and  took  as  guide  and  interpreter  a  deserter 
found  on  the  island;  made  his  way  to  Vanikoro,  sighted 
it  on  the  13th  inst.,  lay  among  the  reefs  until  the  14th, 
and  not  until  the  20tii  did  he  cast  anchor  within  the  bar- 
rier in  the  harbor  of  Vanou. 

On  the  23d,  several  officers  went  round  the  island,  and 
brought  back  some  unimportant  trifles.  The  natives, 
adopting  a  system  of  denials  and  evasions,  refused  to  take 
them  to  the  unlucky  place.  This  ambiguous  conduct  led 
them  to  believe  that  the  natives  had  ill-treated  the  cast- 
aways, and  indeed  they  seemed  to  fear  that  Dumont  d'Ur- 
ville  had  come  to  avenge  La  Perouse  and  his  unfortunate 
crew. 

However,  on  the  26tb,  appeased  by  some  presents,  and 
understanding  that  they  had  no  reprisals  to  fear,  they  led 
M.  Jacquireot  to  the  scene  of  the  wreck. 

There,  in  three  or  four  fathoms  of  water,  between  the 
reef  of  Pacou  and  Vanou,  lay  anchors,  cannons,  pigs  of 
lead  and  iron,  imbedded  in  the  limy  concretions.  The 
large  boat  and  the  whaler  belonging  to  the  Astrolabe, 
were  sent  to  this  place,  and,  not  without  some  difficulty, 
their  crews  hauled  up  an  anchor  weighing  1,800  lbs.,  a 
brass  gun,  some  pigs  of  iron,  and  two  copper  swivel-guns. 

Dumont  d'Urville,  questioning  the  natives,  learned,  too, 
that  La  Perouse,  after  losing  both  his  vessels  on  the  reefs 
of  this  island,  had  constructed  a  smaller  boat,  only  to  be 
lost  a  second  time.     Where? — no  one  knew. 

But  the  French  government,  fearing  that  Dumont 
d'Urville  was  not  acquainted  with  Dillon's  movements,  had 
sent  the  sloop  Bayonnaise,  commanded  by  Legoarant  de 
Tromelin  to  Vanikoro,  which  had  been  stationed  on  the 
west  coast  of  America.  The  Bayonnaise  cast  her  anchor 
before  Vanikoro  some  months  after  the  departure  of  the 
Astrolabe,  but  found  no  new  document;  but  stated  that 
the  savages  respected  the  monument  to  La  Perouse.  That 
is  the  substance  of  what  I  told  to  Captain  Nemo. 

"  So,"  he  said,  "no  one  knows  now  where  the  third 
vessel  perished  that  was  constructed  by  the  castaways  on 
the  island  of  Vanikoro?" 

''  No  one  knows." 

Captain  Nemo  said  nothing,  but  signed  to  me  to  follow 
him  into  the  large  saloon.  The  Nautilus  sank  several  yards 
l^elows  the  waves,  and  the  panels  opened. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  103 

I  hastened  to  the  aperture,  and  under  the  crustations  of 
coral,  covered  with  fungi,  syphonnles,  alcyons,  madrepores, 
through  myriads  of  charming  fish — girelles,  glyphisdri, 
pompherides,  diucopes,  and  holocentres — I  recognized  cer- 
tain debris  that  the  drags  had  not  been  able  to  tear  up; 
iron  stirrups,  anchors,  cannons,  bullets,  capstan-fittings, 
the  stem  of  a  ship — all  objects  clearly  proving  the  wreck 
of  some  vessel,  and  now  carpeted  with  living  flowers. 
Wliile  I  was  looking  on  this  desolate  scene.  Captain  Nemo 
said,  in  a  sad  voice: 

*'  Commander  La  Perouse  set  out  December  7,  1785, 
with  his  vessels  La  Bousolle  and  the  Astrolabe.  He  first 
cast  anchor  at  Botany  Bay,  visited  the  Friendly  Isle,  New 
Caledonia,  then  directed  his  course  toward  Santa  Cruz,  and 
put  into  Namouka,  one  of  the  Hapai  group.  Then  this 
vessel  struck  on  the  unknown  reefs  of  Vanikoi'o.  The 
Bousolle,  which  went  first,  ran  aground  on  the  southerly 
coast.  The  Astrolabe  went  to  its  help,  and  ran  aground 
too.  The  first  vessel  was  destroyed  almost  immediately. 
The  second,  stranded  under  the  wind,  resisted  some  days. 
The  natives  made  the  castaways  welcome.  They  installed 
themselves  in  the  island,  and  constructed  a  smaller  boat 
with  the  debris  of  the  two  large  ones.  Some  sailors  stayed 
willingly  at  Vanikoro,  the  others,  weak  and  ill,  set  out 
with  La  Perouse.  They  directed  their  course  toward  the 
Solomon  Isles,  and  there  perished,  with  everything,  on  the 
westerly  coast  of  the  chief  island  of  the  group  between 
Capes  Deception  and  Satisfaction." 

"How  do  you  know  that?" 

"  By  this,  that  I  found  on  the  spot  where  was  the  last 
wreck." 

Captain  Nemo  showed  me  a  tin-plate  box,  stamped  with 
the  French  arms,  and  corroded  by  the  salt  water.  He 
opened  it,  and  I  saw  a  bundle  of  papers,  yellow,  but  still 
readable. 

They  were  the  instructions  of  the  naval  minister  to  Com- 
mander La  Perouse,  annotated  in  the  margin  in  Louis 
XVL's  handwriting. 

"  Ah!  it  is  a  fine  death  for  a  sailor!"  said  Captain  Nemo, 
at  last.  "  A  coral  tomb  makes  a  quiet  grave;  and  I  trust 
that  I  and  my  comrades  will  find  no  other." 


104  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

TOERES    STRAITS. 

During  the  night  of  the  27th  or  28th  of  December,  the 
Nautilus  left  the  shores  of  Vanikoro  with  great  speed. 
Her  course  was  southwesterly,  and  in  three  days  she  had 
gone  over  the  750  leagues  that  separated  it  from  La  Pe- 
rouse's  group,  heading  a  southeast  point  of  Papua. 

Early  on  tiie  1st  of  January,  1868,  Conseil  joined  me 
on  the  platform. 

•'*  Master,  will  yoci  permit  me  to  wish  you  a  happy  new 
year?" 

"What!  Conseil;  exactly  as  if  I  was  at  Paris  in  my 
study  at  the  Jardin  des  Plantes?  Well,  I  accept  your  good 
wishes,  and  thank  you  for  them.  Only,  I  will  ask  you 
what  you  mean  by  a  '  Happy  new  year,'  under  our  cir- 
cumstances? Do  you  mean  the  year  that  will  bring  ue  to 
the  end  of  our  imprisonment,  or  the  year  that  sees  us 
continue  this  strange  voyage?" 

**  Really,  I  do  not  know  how  to  answer,  master.  We 
are  sure  to  see  curious  things,  and  for  the  last  two  months 
we  have  not  had  time  for  ennui.  The  last  marvel  is  al- 
ways the  most  astonishing;  and  if  we  continue  this  pro- 
gression, I  do  not  know  how  it  will  end.  It  is  my  opinion 
that  we  shall  never  again  see  the  like.  I  think,  then,  with 
no  offense  to  master,  that  a  happy  year  would  be  one  in 
which  we  could  see  everything." 

On  January  2,  we  had  made  11,340  miles,  or  5,250, 
Erench  leagues,  since  our  starting  point  in  the  Japan  seas. 
Before  the  ship's  head  stretched  the  dangerous  shores  of 
the  coral  sea,  on  the  northeast  coast  of  Australia.  Our 
boat  lay  along  some  miles  from  the  redoubtable  bank  on 
which  Cook's  vessel  was  lost,  June  10,  1770,  The  boat 
in  which  Cook  Avas  struck  on  a  rock,  and  if  it  did  not 
sink,  it  was  owing  to  a  piece  of  the  coral  that  was  broken 
by  the  shock,  and  fixed  itself  in  the  broken  keel. 

I  had  wished  to  visit  the  reef,  360  leagues  long,  against 
which  the  sea,  always  rough,  broke  with  great  violence, 
with  a  noise  like  thunder."  But  just  at  this  moment  the 
inclined  planes  drew  the  Nautilus  down  to  a  great  depth, 
and  I  could  see  nothing  of  the  high  coral  walls.     I  had  to 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  106 

content  myself  with  the  different  specimens  of  fish  brought 
up  by  the  nets.  I  remarked,  among  others,  some  germons, 
a  species  of  mackerel  as  large  as  a  tunny,  with  bluish  sides, 
and  striped  with  transverse  bands,  that  disappear  with  the 
animal's  life.  These  fish  followed  us  in  shoals,  and 
furnished  us  with  very  delicate  food.  We  took  also  a 
large  number  of  giltheads,  about  one  and  a  half  inches 
long,  tasting  like  dorys;  and  flying  pyrapeds  like  submarine 
swallows,  which,  in  dark  nights,  light  alternately  the  air 
and  w-atev  with  their  phosphorescent  light.  Among  the 
molluscs  and  zoophytes,  I  found  in  the  meshes  of  the  net 
several  species  of  alcyonarians,  echini,  hammers,  spurs, 
dials,  cerites,  and  hyalleae.  The  flora  was  represented  by 
beautiful  floating  sea-weeds,  laminarise,  and  macrocystcs, 
impregnated  with  mucilage  that  transudes  through  their 
pores;  and  among  which  I  gathered  an  admirable  Nema- 
stoma  Geliniarois,  that  was  classed  among  the  natural 
curiosities  of  the  museum. 

Two  days  after  crossing  the  coral  sea,  January  4,  we 
sighted  the  Papuan  coasts.  On  this  occasion.  Captain 
Nemo  informed  me  that  his  intention  was  to  get  into  the 
Indian  Ocean  by  the  Straits  of  Torres.  His  communication 
ended  there. 

The  Ton-es  Straits  are  nearly  thirty-four  leagues  wide; 
but  they  are  obstructed  by  an  innumerable  quantity  of 
islands,  islets,  breakers,  and  rocks,  that  make  its  navigation 
almost  impracticable;  so  that  Captain  Nemo  took  all  need- 
ful precautions  to  cross  them.  The  Nautilus,  floating 
betwixt  wind  and  water,  went  at  a  moderate  pace.  Her 
screw,  like  a  cetacean's  tail,  beat  the  waves  slowly. 

Profiting  by  this,  I  and  my  two  companions  went  up  on 
the  deserted  platform.  Before  us  was  the  steersman's  cage, 
and  I  expected  that  Captain  Nemo  was  there  directing  the 
course  of  the  Nautilus.  I  had  before  me  the  excellent 
charts  of  the  Straits  of  Torres,  made  out  by  the  hydro- 
graphical  engineer  Vincendon  Dumoulin.  These  and  Cap- 
tain King's  are  the  best  charts  that  clear  the  intricacies  of 
this  strait,  and  I  consulted  them  attentively.  Round  the 
Nautilus  the  sea  dashed  furiously.  The  course  of  the 
waves,  that  went  from  southeast  to  northwest  at  the  rate 
of  two  and  a  half  miles,  broke  on  the  coral  that  showed 
itself  here  and*there. 

"This  is  a  bad  sea!"  remarked  Ned  Land. 


106  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

'*  Detestable  indeed,  and  one  that  does  not  suit  a  boaii 
like  the  Nautilus." 

^'The  captain  must  be  very  sure  of  his  route,  for  I  see 
there  pieces  of  coral  that  would  do  for  its  keel  if  it  only 
touched  them  slightly." 

Indeed  the  situation  was  dangerous;  but  the  Nautilus 
seemed  to  slide  like  magic  off  these  rocks.  It  did  not  fol- 
low the  routes  of  the  Astrolabe  and  the  Zelee  exactly,  for 
they  proved  fatal  to  Dumont  d'Urville.  It  bore  more 
northward,  coasted  the'Island  of  Murray,  and  came  back 
to  the  southwest  towar.d  Cumberland  Passage.  I  thought 
it  was  going  to  pass  it  by,  when,  going  back  to  northwest, 
it  went  through  a  large  quantity  of  islands  and  inlets  little 
known,  toward  the  Island  Sound  and  Canal  Mauvais. 

I  wondered  if  Captain  Nemo,  foolishly  imprudent,  would 
steer  his  vessel  into  that  pass  where  Dumont  d'Urville's 
two  corvettes  touched;  when,  swerving  again,  and  cutting 
straigiit  through  to  the  west,  he  steered  for  the  Island  of 
Gilboa. 

It  was  then  three  in  the  afternoon.  The  tide  began  to 
recede,  being  quite  full.  The  Nautilus  approached  the 
island,  that  I  still  saw,  with  its  remarkable  border  of 
screw-pines.  He  stood  off  at  a'bout  two  miles  distant. 
Suddenly  a  shock  overthrew  me.  The  Nautilus  just 
touched  a  rock,  and  stayed  immorable,  laying  lightly  to 
port  side. 

When  I  rose,  I  perceived  Captain  Nemo  and  his  lieu- 
tenant on  the  platform.  They  were  examining  the  situa- 
tion of  the  vessel,  and  exchanging  words  in  their  incom- 
prehensible dialect. 

She  was  situated  thus:  two  miles,  on  the  starboard  side 
appeared  Gilboa,  stretching  from  north  to  west  like  an 
immense  arm;  toward  the  south  and  east  some  coral  showed 
itself,  left  by  the  ebb.  "We  had  run  aground,  and  in  one 
of  those  seas  where  the  tides  are  middling — a  sorry  matter 
for  the  floating  of  the  Nautilus.  However,  the  vessel  had 
not  suffered,  for  her  keel  was  solidly  joined.  But  if  she 
could  neither  glide  off  nor  move,  she  ran  the  risk  of  being 
forever  fastened  to  these  rocks,  and  then  Captain  Nemo's 
submarine  vessel  would  be  done  for, 

I  was  reflecting  thus,  when  the  Captain,  cool  and  calm, 
always  master  of  himself,  approached  me.    • 

"An  accident?"  I  asked. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKt)ER    TttE    SEAS.  107 

**'No;  an  incident." 

"  But  an  incident  that  will  oblige  you  perhaps  to  become 
an  inhabitant  of  this  land  from  which  you  flee?" 

Captain  Nemo  looked  at  me  curiously,  and  made  a 
negative  gesture,  as  much  as  to  say  that  nothing  would 
force  him  to  set  foot  on  terra  firma  again.  Then  he 
said: 

"Besides,  M.  Aronnax,  the  Nautilus  is  not  lost;  it 
■will  carry  you  yet  into  the  midst  of  the  marvels  of  the 
ocean.  Our  voyage  is  only  begun,  and  I  do  not  wish  to 
be  deprived  so  soon  of  the  honor  of  your  company." 

"  However,  Captain  Nemo,"  I  replied,  without  noticing 
the  ironical  turn  of  his  phrase,  "  the  Nautilus  ran  aground 
in  open  sea.  Now  the  tides  are  not  strong  in  the  Pacific, 
and  if  you  cannot  lighten  the  Nautilus,  I  do  not  see  how 
it  will  be  reinflated." 

"  The  tides  are  not  strong  in  the  Pacific;  you  are  right 
there,  Professor;  but  in  Torres  Straits  one  finds  still  a 
difference  of  a  yard  and  a  half  between  the  level  of  high 
and  low  seas.  To-day  is  January  4,  and  in  five  days  the 
moon  will  be  full.  Now,  I  shall  be  very  much  astonished 
if  that  complaisant  satellite  does  not  raise  these  masses  of 
water  sufficiently,  and  rendier  me  a  service  that  I  should 
be  indebted  to  her  for." 

Having  said  this.  Captain  Nemo,  followed  by  his  lieu- 
tenant, re-descended  to  the  interior  of  the  Nautilus.  As 
to  the  vessel,  it  moved  not,  and  was  immovable,  as  if  the 
coralline  polypi  had  already  walled  it  up  with  their  inde- 
structible cement. 

"  Well,  sir?"  said  Ned  Land,  who  came  up  to  me  after 
the  departure  of  the  Captain. 

"Well,  friend  Ned,  we  will  wait  patiently  for  the  tide 
on  the  9th  instant;  for  it  appears  that  the  moon  will  have 
the  goodness  to  put  it  off  again." 

"  Keally?" 

"Keally." 

"And  this  Captain  is  not  going  to  cast  anchor  at  all, 
since  the  tide  will  suffice,"  said  Conseil,  simply. 

The  Canadian  looked  at  Conseil,  then  shrugged  his 
shoulders. 

"  Sir,  you  may  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  that  this 
piece  of  iron  will  navigate  neither  on  nor  under  the  sea 
again;  it  is  only  fit  to  be  sold  for  its   weight.     I  think, 


108  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

therefore,  that  the  time  has  come  to  part  company  with 
Captain  Nemo." 

"  Friend  Ned,  I  do  not  despair  of  this  stout  Nautilus, 
as  you  do;  and  in  four  days  we  shall  know  what  to  hold  to 
on  the  Pacific  tides.  Besides,  flight  might  be  possible  if 
we  were  in  sight  of  the  English  or  Proven9al  coasts;  but 
on  the  Papuan  shores  it  is  another  thing;  and  it  will  be 
time  enough  to  come  to  that  extremity  if  the  Nautilus  does 
not  recover  itself  again,  which  I  look  upon  as  a  grave 
event." 

"  But  do  they  know,  at  least,  how  to  act  circumspectly? 
There  is  an  island;  on  that  island  there  are  trees;  under 
those  trees,  terrestrial  animals,  bearers  of  cutlets  and 
roast-beef,  to  which  I  would  willingly  give  a  trial." 

"In  this,  friend  Ned  is  right,"  said  Conseil,  "and  I 
agree  with  him.  Could  not  master  obtain  permission 
from  his  friend  Captain  Nemo  to  put  us  on  land,  if  only 
80  as  not  to  lose  the  habit  of  treading  on  the  solid  parts  of 
our  planet?" 

"I  can  ask  him,  but  he  will  refuse." 

"Will  master  risk  it?"  asked  Conseil,  "and  we  shall 
know  how  to  rely  upon  the  Captain's  amiability." 

To  my  great  surprise  Captain  Nemo  gave  me  the  per- 
mission I  asked  for,  and  gave  it  very  agreeably,  without 
even  exacting  from  me  a  promise  to  return  to  the  vessel; 
but  flight  across  New  Guinea  might  be  very  perilous,  and 
I  should  not  have  counseled  Ned  Land  to  attempt  it. 
Better  to  be  a  prisoner  on  board  the  Nautilus  than  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  natives. 

At  eight  o'clock,  armed  with  guns  and  hatchets,  we  got 
off  the  Nautilus.  The  sea  was  pretty  calm;  a  slight  breeze 
blew  on  land.  Conseil  and  I  rowing,  we  sped  along 
quickly,  and  Ned  steered  in  the  straight  passage  that  the 
breakers  left  between  them.  The  boat  was  well  handled, 
and  moved  rapidly. 

Ned  Land  could  not  restrain  his  joy.  He  was  like  a 
prisoner  that  had  escaped  fi-om  prison,  and  knew  not  that 
it  was  necessary  to  re-enter  it. 

"  Meat!  We  are  going  to  eat  some  meat;  and  what 
meat!"  he  replied.     "  Real  game!  no  bread,  indeed." 

"I  do  not  say  that  fish  is  not  good;  we  must  not  abuse 
it;  but  a  piece  of  fresh  venison  grilled  on  live  coals  will 
agreeably  vary  our  ordinary  course." 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  109 

"Gourmand!"  said  Conseilj'  "he  makes  my  mouth 
water." 

"It  remains  to  be  seen,"  I  said,  " if  these  forests  are 
full  of  game  and  if  the  game  is  not  such  as  will  hunt  the 
hunter  himself." 

"  Well  said,  M.  Aronnax,"  replied  the  Canadian,  whose 
teeth  seemed  sliarpened  like  the  edge  of  a  hatchet;  '*  but  I 
will  eat  tiger — loin  of  tiger — if  there  is  no  other  quadruped 
on  this  island." 

"  Friend  Ned  is  uneasy  about  it,"  said  Conseil. 

"Whatever  it  may  be,"  continued  Ned  Land,  "every 
animal  with  four  paws  without  feathers,  or  with  two  paws 
without  feathers,  will  be  saluted  by  my  first  shot." 

"Very  well!  Master  Land's  imprudences  are  begin- 
ning." 

"  Never  fear,  M.  Aronnax,"  replied  the  Canadian,  "I 
do  not  want  twenty-five  minutes  to  offer  you  a  dish  of  my 
sort." 

At  half  past  eight  the  Nautilus'  boat  ran  softly  aground, 
on  a  heavy  sand,  after  having  happily  passed  the  cor^ 
reef  that  surrounds  the  Island  of  Gilboa. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

A  FEW  DAYS  ON  LAND. 

I  WAS  much  impressed  on  touching  land.  Ned  Land 
tried  the  soil  with  his  feet,  as  if  to  take  possession  of 
it.  However,  it  was  only  two  months  before  that  we  had 
become,  according  to  Captain  Nemo,  "passengers  on 
board  the  Nautilus,"  but,  in  reality,  prisoners  of  its  com- 
mander. 

In  a  few  minutes  we  were  within  musket-shot  of  the 
coast.  The  soil  was  almost  entirely  madreporical,  but 
certain  beds  of  dried-up  torrents  strewn  with  debris  of 
granite  showed  that  this  island  was  of  the  primary 
formation.  The  whole  horizon  was  hidden  behind  a  beau- 
tiful curtain  of  forests.  Enormous  trees,  the  trunks 
of  which  attained  a  height  of  200  feet,  were  tied  to  each 
other  by  garlands  of  bindweed,  real  natural  hammocks, 
•which  a  light  breeze  rocked.  They  were  mimosas,  ficuses, 
casuarinae,  teks,  hibisci,  and  palm-trees,  mingled  together 


110  20,000    LEAGUES    TTNDER    THE    SEAS. 

in  profusion;  and  under  the  shelter  of  their  verdant  yault 
grew  orchids,  leguminous  plants,  and  ferns. 

But  without  noticing  all  these  beautiful  specimens  of 
Papuan  flora,  the  Canadian  abandoned  the  agreeable  for  the 
useful.  He  discovered  a  cocoa-tree,  knocked  down  some 
of  the  fruit,  broke  them,  and  we  drunk  the  milk  and  ate 
the  nut  with  a  satisfaction  that  protested  against  the  or- 
dinary food  on  the  Nautilus. 

''Excellent!"  said  Ned  Land. 

"Exquisite!"  replied  Conseil. 

''And  I  do  not  think,"  said  the  Canadian,  "that  he 
would  object  to  our  introducing  a  cargo  of  cocoanuts  on 
board." 

"I  do  not  think  he  would,  but  he  would  not  taste 
them." 

"  So  much  the  worse  for  him,"  said  Conseil. 

'*  And  so  much  the  better  for  us,"  replied  Ned  Land. 
*'  There  will  be  more  for  us." 

"  One  word  only.  Master  Land,"  I  said  to  the  har- 
pooner,  who  was  beginning  to  ravage  another  cocoanut- 
tree.  "  Cocoanuts  are  good  things,  but  before  filling  the 
canoe  with  them,  it  would  be  wise  to  reconnoiter  and  see 
if  the  island  does  not  produce  some  substance  not  less 
useful.  Fresh  vegetables  would  be  welcome  on  board  the 
Nautilus." 

"  Master  is  right,"  replied  Conseil;  '*  and  I  propose  to 
reserve  three  places  in  our  vessel:  one  for  fruits,  the  other 
for  vegetables,  and  the  third  for  the  venison  of  which  I 
have  not  yet  seen  the  smallest  specimen." 

"  Conseil,  we  must  not  despair,"  said  the  Canadian. 

"  Let  us  continue,"  I  returned,  "  and  lie  in  wait.  Al- 
though the  island  seems  uninhabited,  it  might  still  con- 
tain some  individuals  that  would  be  less  hard  than  we  on 
the  nature  of  game." 

''Ho!  ho!"  said  Ned  Land,  moving  his  jaws  signifi- 
cantly, 

"  Well,  Ned!"  cried  Conseil. 

"  My  word !"  returned  the  Canadian,  "  I  begin  to  under- 
stand the  charms  of  anthropophagy." 

"Ned!  Ned!  what  are  you  saying?  You,  a  man-eater? 
I  should  not  feel  safe  with  you,  especially  as  I  share  your 
cabin.  I  might  perhaps  wake  one  day  to  find  myself  half 
devoured." 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEli    THE    SEAS.  Ill 

"  Friend  Conseil,  I  like  you  much,  but  not  enough  to 
eat  you  unnecessarily." 

"  I  would  not  trust  yon/'  replied  Conseil.  "  Bui  enough. 
We  must  absolutely  bring  down  some  game  t'j'"satisfy  thig 
cannibal,  or  else,  one  of  these  fine  mornings,  master  will 
find  only  pieces  of  his  servant  to  serve  hirn." 

While  we  wei-e  talking  thus  we  were  penetrating  the 
somber  arches  of  the  forest,  and  for  two  hours  we  surveyed 
it  in  all  directions. 

Chance  lewarded  our  search  for  eatable  vegetables,  and 
one  of  the  most  useful  products  of  the  tropical  zones  fur- 
nished us  with  precious  food  that  v;e  missed  on  board.  I 
would  speak  of  the  bread-fruit  tree,  very  abundant  in  the 
Island  of  Gilboa;  and  I  remarked  chiefly  the  variety  des- 
titute of  seeds,  which  bears  in  Malaya  the  name  of 
"  rima." 

Ned  Land  knew  these  fruits  well.  He  had  already  eaten 
many  during  his  numerous  voyages,  and  he  knew  how 
to  prepare  the  eatable  substance.  Moreover,  the  sight 
of  them  excited  him,  and  he  could  contain  himself  no 
longer. 

"  Master,"  he  said,  *'I  shall  die  if  I  do  not  taste  a  little 
of  this  bread-fruit  pie." 

"Taste  it,  friend  Ned,  taste  it  as  you  want.  We  are 
here  to  make  experiments — make  them." 

*^  It  won't  take  long,"  said  the  Canadian. 

And  provided  with  a  lentil,  he  lighted  a  £re  of  dead 
wood,  that  crackled  joyously.  During  this  time,  Conseil 
and  I  chose  the  best  fruits  of  the  artocarpus.  Some  had 
not  then  attained  a  sufficient  degree  of  maturity,  and  their 
thick  skin  covered  a  white  but  rather  fibrous  pulp.  Others, 
the  greater  number  yellow  and  gelatinous,  waited  only  to 
be  picked. 

These  fruits  inclose  no  kernel.  Conseil  brought  a 
dozen  to  Ned  Land,  who  placed  them  on  a  coal  fire, 
after  having  cut  them  in  thick  slices,  and  while  doing  this 
repeating: 

**  You  will  see,  master,  how  good  this  bread  is.  More 
so  when  one  has  been  deprived  of  it  so  long.  It  is  not 
even  bread,"  added  he,  "but  a  delicate  pasty.  You  have 
eaten  none,  master?" 

"No,  Ned." 

■*yery  well,  prepare  yourself  for  a  juicy  thing.     If  you 


113  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

do  rot  come  for  more,  I  am  no  longer  the  king  of  har- 
pooncAs." 

After  bome  minutes,  the  part  of  tlie  fruits  that  was  ex- 
posed to  the  fire  was  completely  roasted.  The  interior 
looked  like  a  white  pasty,  a  sort  of  soft  crumb,  the  flavor 
of  which  was  lik.T  tliat  of  an  artichoke. 

It  must  be  confessed  this  bread  was  excellent,  and  I  ate 
of  it  with  a  great  relish. 

"  What  time  is  it  new?"  asked  the  Canadian. 

"  Two  o'clock  at  leas :,"  replied  Conseil. 

"  How  time  flies  on  firm  ground!"  sighed  Ned  Land. 

"Let  us  be  ofE,"  rephed  Oonseil. 

We  returned  through  the  forest,  and  completed  our  col- 
lection by  a  raid  upon  the  cabbage- palms,  that  we  gather- 
ed from  the  tops  of  the  trees,  little  beans  that  1  recognized 
as  the  "  abrou  "  of  the  Malays,  and  yams  of  a  superior 
quality. 

We  were  loaded  when  we  reached  the  boat.  But  Ned 
Land  did  mot  find  his  provision  sufl&cient.  Fate,  however, 
favored  us.  Just  as  we  were  pushing  off,  he  perceived 
several  trees,  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  feet  high,  a  species 
of  palm-tree.'  These  trees,  as  valuable  as  the  artocarpus, 
justly  are  reckoned  among  the  most  useful  products  of 
Malaya. 

At  last,  at  five  o'clock  in  the  evening,  loaded  with  our 
riches,  we  quitted  the  shore,  and  half  an  hour  after  we 
hailed  the  Nautilus.  No  one  appeared  on  our  arrival, 
n^lie  enormous  iron-plated  cylinder  seemed  deserted.  The 
provisions  embarked,  I  descended  to  my  chamber,  and 
after  supper  slept  soundly. 

The  next  day,  January  6th,  nothing  new  on  board.  Not 
a  sound  inside,  not  a  sign  of  life.  The  boat  rested  along 
ihe  edge,  in  the  same  place  in  which  we  had  left  it.  We 
resolved  to  return  to  the  island.  Ned  Land  hoped  to  be 
more  fortunate  than  on  the  day  before  with  regard  to  the 
hunt,  and  wished  to  visit  another  part  of  the  forest. 

At  dawn  we  set  off.  The  boat,  carried  on  by  the  waves 
mat  flowed  to  shore,  reached  the  island  in  a  few  minutes. 

We  landed,  and  thinking  that  it  was  better  to  give  in 
to  the  Canadian,  we  followed  Ned  Land,  whose  long  limbs 
threatened  to  distance  us.  He  wound  up  the  coast  toward 
the  west;  then,  fording  some  torrents,  he  gained  the  high 
plain  that  was  bordered  with  admirable  forests.     Some 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  113 

kingfishers  were  rambling  along  the  water- courses,  but 
they  would  not  let  themselves  be  approached.  Their 
circumspection  proved  to  me  that  these  birds  knew  what 
to  expect  from  bipeds  of  our  species,  and  I  concluded 
that,  if  the  island  was  not  inhabited,  at  least  human 
beings  occasionally  frequented  it. 

After  crossing  a  rather  large  prairie,  we  arrived  at  the 
ttkirt  of  a  little  wood  that  was  enlivened  by  the  songs  and 
flight  of  g,  large  number  of  birds. 

"  There  are  only  birds!"  said  Conseil. 

**  But  they  are  eatable,"  replied  the  harpooner. 

"  I  do  not  agree  with  you,  friend  Ned,  for  I  see  [only 
parrots  there." 

"Friend  Conseil,"  said  Ned,  gravely,  "the  parrot  is 
like  pheasant  to  those  who  have  nothing  else." 

"  And,"  I  added,  "■  this  bird,  suitably  prepared,  is  worth 
knife  and  fork." 

Indeed,  under  the  thick  foliage  of  this  wood,  a  world  of 
parrots  were  flying  from  branch  to  branch,  only  needing  a 
careful  education  to  speak  the  human  language.  For  the 
moment,  they  were  chattering  with  parrots  of  all  colors, 
and  grave  cockatoos,  who  seemed  to  meditate  upon  some 
philosopliical  problem,  whilst  brilliant  red  lories  passed 
like  a  piece  of  bunting  carried  away  by  the  breeze;  papu- 
ans,  with  the  finest  azure  colors,  and  in  all  a  variety  of 
winged  things  most  charming  to  behold,  but  few  eatable. 

However,  a  bird  peculiar  to  these  lands,  and  which  has 
never  passed  the  limits  of  the  Arrow  and  Papuan  islands, 
was  wanting  in  this  collection.  But  fortune  reserved  it 
for  me  before  long. 

After  passing  through  a  moderately  thick  copse,  we 
found  a  plain  obstructed  with  bushes.  I  saw  then  those 
magnificent  birds,  the  disposition  of  whose  long  feathers 
obliges  them  to  fly  against  the  wind.  Their  undulating 
flight,  graceful  aerial  curves,  and  the  shading  of  their 
colors,  attracted  and  charmed  one's  looks.  I  had  no 
trouble  in  recognizing  them. 

'*  Birds  of  Paradise!"  I  exclaimed. 

The  Malays,  who  carry  on  a  great  trade  in  these  birds 
with  the  Chinese,  have  several  means  that  we  could  not 
employ  for  taking  them.  Sometimes  they  put  snares  at 
the  tops  of  high  trees  that  the  birds  of  Paradise  prefer  to 
frequent.     Sometimes  they  catch  them  with  a    viscous 


114  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS. 

bird-lime  that  paralyzes  their  movements.  They  even  g« 
so  far  as  to  poison  the  fountains  that  the  birds  generally 
drink  from.  But  we  were  obliged  to  fire  at  them  during 
flight,  which  gave  us  few  chances  to  bring  them  down, 
and,  indeed,  we  vainly  exhausted  one-half  of  our  ammu- 
nition. 

About  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  first  range 
of  mountains  that  form  the  center  of  the  island  was  trav- 
ersed, and  we  had  killed  nothing.  Hunger  drove  us  on. 
The  hunters  had  relied  on  tlie  products  of  the  chase,  and 
they  were  wrong.  Happily  Conseil,  to  his  great  surprise, 
made  a  double  shot,  and  secured  breakfast.  He  brought 
down  a  white  pigeon  and  a  wood-pigeon,  which,  cleverly 
plucked  and  suspended  from  a  skewer,  were  roasted  before  a 
red  fire  of  dead  wood.  Whilst  these  interesting  birds  were 
cooking,  Ned  prepared  the  fruit  of  the  artocarpus.  Then 
the  wood- pigeons  were  devoured  to  the  bones,  and  declared 
excellent.  The  nutmeg,  with  which  they  are  in  the  habit 
of  stuffing  their  crops,  flavors  their  flesh  and  renders  it 
delicious  eating. 

"  Now,  Ned,  what  do  you  miss  now?" 

"  Some  four-footed  game,  M.  Aronnax.  All  these 
pigeons  are  only  side-dishes  and  trifles;  and  until  I  have 
killed  an  animal  with  cutlets,  I  shall  not  be  content." 

"  Nor  I,  Ned,  if  I  do  not  catch  a  bird  of  Paradise." 

"  Let  us  continue  hunting,"  replied  Conseil.  "  Let  us 
go  toward  the  sea.  We  have  arrived  at  the  first  declivi- 
ties of  the  mountains,  and  I  think  we  had  better  regain 
the  region  of  forests." 

That  was  sensible  advice,  and  was  followed  out.  After 
walking  for  an  hour,  we  had  attained  a  forest  of  sago 
trees.  Some  inoffensive  serpents  glided  away  from  us; 
the  birds  of  Paradise  fled  at  our  approach,  and  truly  I 
despaired  of  getting  near  one,  when  Conseil,  who  was 
walking  in  front,  suddenly  bent  down,  nttered  a  triumphal 
cry,  and  came  back  to  me  bringing  a  magnificent  speci- 
men. 

"Ah!  bravo,  Conseil!" 

**  Master  is  very  good." 

"No,  my  boy;  you  have  made  an  excellent  stroke. 
Take  one  of  these  living  birds,  and  carry  it  in  your  hand." 

**  If  master  will  examine  it,  he  will  see  that  I  have  not 
deserved  great  merit." 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEli    THE    SEAS.  115 

"Why,  Conseil?" 

**  Because  this  bird  is  as  drunk  as  a  quail." 

"Drunkr 

*'  Yes,  sir;  drunk  with  the  nutmegs  that  it  devoured 
under  the  nutmeg  tree,  under  which  I  found  it.  See, 
friend  Ned,  see  the  monstrous  effects  of  intemperance!" 

*'  By  Jove!"  exclaimed  the  Canadiiin,  "  because  I  have 
drunk  gin  for  two  months,  you  must  needs  reproach  me!" 

However,  I  examined  the  curious  bird.  Conseil  was 
right.  The  bird,  drunk  with  the  juice,  was  quite  power- 
less.    It  could  not  fly;  it  could  hardly  walk. 

This  bird  belonged  to  the  most  beautiful  of  the  eight 
species  that  are  found  in  Papua  and  in  the  neighboring 
islands.  It  was  the  'Marge  emerald  bird,  the  most  rare 
kind."  It  measured  three  feet  in  length.  Its  head  was 
•omparatively  small,  its  eyes  placed  near  the  opening  of 
the  beak,  and  also  small.  But  the  shades  of  color  were 
beautiful,  having  a  yellow  beak,  brown  feet  and  claws, 
nut-colored  wings  with  purple  tips,  pale  yellow  at  the 
back  of  the  neck  and  head,  and  emerald  color  at  the  throat, 
chestnut  on  the  breast  and  belly.  Two  horned  downy 
nets  rose  from  below  the  tail,  that  prolonged  the  long  light 
feathers  of  admirable  fineness,  and  they  completed  the 
whole  of  this  marvelous  bird,  that  the  natives  have  named 
poetically  the  "  bird  of  the  sun." 

But  if  my  wishes  were  satisfied  by  the  possession  of  the 
bird  of  Paradise,  the  Canadian's  were  not  yet.  Happily 
about  two  o'clock  Ned  Land  brought  down  a  magnificent 
hog,  from  the  brood  of  those  the  natives  call  ' '  bari- 
outang."  The  animal  came  in  time  for  us  to  procure  real 
quadruped  meat,  and  he  was  well  received.  Ned  Land 
was  very  proud  of  his  shot.  The  hog,  hit  by  the  electric 
ball,  fell  stone  dead.  The  Canadian  skinned  and  cleaned 
it  properly,  after  having  taken  half  a  dozen  cutlets,  des- 
tined to  furnish  us  with  a  grilled  repast  in  the  evening. 
Then  the  hunt  was  resumed,  which  was  still  more  marked 
by  Ned  and  Conseil's  exploits. 

Indeed,  the  two  friends,  beating  the  bushes,  roused  a 
herd  of  kangaroos,  that  fled  and  bounded  along  on  their 
elastic  paws.  But  these  animals  did  not  take  flight  so 
rapidly  but  what  the  electric  capsule  could  stop  their 
course. 

"Ah,  Professor,"  cried  Ned  Land,  who  was  carried 


116  30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

away  by  the  delights  of  the  chase,  "what  excellent  game! 
and  stewed,  too!  What  a  supply  for  the  Nautilus!  two! 
three!  five  down!  And  to  think  that  we  shall  eat  that 
flesh,  and  that  the  idiots  on  board  shall  not  have  a 
crumb!" 

1  think  that,  in  the  excess  of  his  joy,  the  Canadian,  if 
he  had  not  talked  so  much,  would  have  killed  them  all. 
But  he  contented  himself  with  a  single  dozen  of  tliese  in- 
teresting marsupians.  These  animals  were  small.  They 
were  a  species  of  those  "kangaroo  rabbits"  that  live  habit- 
ually in  the  hollows  of  trees,  and  whose  speed  is  extreme; 
but  they  are  moderately  fat,  and  furnish,  at  least,  estima- 
ble food.  We  were  very  satisfied  with  the  results  of  the 
hunt.  Happily  Ned  proposed  to  return  to  this  enchant- 
ing island  the  next  day,  for  he  wished  to  depopulate  it  of 
all  the  eatable  quadrupeds.  But  he  reckoned  without  his 
host. 

At  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  we  had  regained  the  shore; 
our  boat  was  moored  to  the  usual  place.  The  Nautilus, 
like  a  long  rock,  emerged  from  the  waves  two  miles  from 
the  beach.  Ned  Land,  without  waiting,  occupied  himself 
about  the  important  dinner  business.  He  understood  all 
about  cooking  well.  The  "  bari-outang,"  grilled  on  the 
coals,  soon  scented  the  air  with  a  delicious  odor. 

Indeed,  the  dinner  was  excellent.  Two  wood-pigeons 
completed  this  extraordinary  menu.  The  sago  pasty,  the 
artocarpus  bread,  some  mangoes,  half  a  dozen  pine-apples, 
and  the  liquor  fermented  from  some  cocoanuts,  overjoyed 
us.  I  even  think  that  my  worthy  companions'  ideas  had 
not  all  the  plainness  desirable. 

"  Suppose  we  do  not  return  to  the  Nautilus  this  even- 
ing?" said  Conseil. 

"Suppose  we  never  return?"  added  Ned  Land. 

Just  then  a  stone  fell  at  our  feet,  and  cut  short  the  har- 
pooner's  proposition. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

CAPTAIN   nemo's  THUNDERBOLT. 

We  looked  at  the  edge  of  the  forest  without  rising,  my 
hand  stopping  in  the  action  of  putting  it  to  my  mouth, 
Ned  Land's  completing  its  office. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS.  117 

"  Stones  do  not  fall  from  the  sky,  remarked  Conseil, 
"ot  they  would  merit  the  name  of  aerolites." 

A  second  stone,  carefully  aimed,  that  made  a  savory 
pigeon's  leg  fall  from  Conseil's  hand,  gave  still  more 
weight  to  his  observation.  We  all  three  arose,  and 
shouldered  our  guns,  and  were  ready  to  reply  to  any  at- 
tack, 

"Are  they  apes?"  cried  Ned  Land. 

"  Very  nearly — they  are  savages." 

"  To  the  boat!"  I  said,  hurrying  to  the  sea. 

It  was  indeed  necessary  to  beat  a  retreat,  for  about 
twenty  natives,  armed  with  bows  aud  slings,  appeared  on 
the  skirts  of  a  copse  that  masked  the  horizon  to  the  right, 
hardly  a  hundred  steps  from  us. 

Our  boat  was  moored  about  sixty  feet  from  us.  The 
savages  approached  us,  not  running,  but  making  hostile 
demonstrations.     Stones  and  arrows  fell  thickly. 

Ned  Land  had  not  wished  to  leave  his  provisions;  and, 
in  spite  of  his  imminent  danger,  his  pig  on  one  side,  and. 
kangaroos  on  the  other,  he  went  tolerably  fast.  In  two 
minutes  we  were  on  the  shore.  To  load  the  boat  with 
provisions  and  arms,  to  push  it  out  to  sea,  and  ship  the 
oars,  was  the  work  of  an  instant.  "We  had  not  gone  two 
cable-lengths  when  a  hundred  savages,  howling  and  gesti- 
culating, entered  the  water  up  to  their  waists.  I  watched 
to  see  if  their  apparition  would  attract  some  men  from  the 
Nautilus  on  to  the  platform.  But  no.  The  enormous 
machine,  lying  off,  was  absolutely  deserted. 

Twenty  minutes  later  we  were  on  board.  The  panels 
were  open.  And  after  making  the  boat  fast,  we  entered 
into  the  interior  of  the  Nautilus. 

I  descended  to  tlie  drawing-room,  from  whence  I  heard 
some  chords.  Captain  Nemo  was  there,  bending  over  his 
organ,  and  plunged  in  a  musical  ecstasy.  "Captain!" 
He  did  not  hear  me.  "Captain!"  I  said  again,  touching 
his  hand. 

He  shuddered,  and  turning  round,  said,  "Ah!  is  it  you, 
Professor?  Well,  have  you  had  a  good  hunt?  Have  you 
botanized  successfully?" 

"  Yes,  Captain,  but  we  have  unfortunately  brought  a 
troop  of  bipeds,  whose  vicinity  troubles  me." 

"  What  bipeds?" 

"  Savages." 


118  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

''Savages!"  he  echoed,  ironically.  "So  you  are  aston- 
ished, Professor,  at  having  set  foot  on  a  strange  land  and 
finding  savages?  Savages!  where  are  there  not  any?  Be- 
sides, are  they  worse  than  others,  these  whom  you  call 
savases?" 

*' But,  Captain " 

"  How  many  have  you  counted?" 

"  A  hundred  at  least." 

*'  M.  Aronnax,"  replied  Captain  Nemo,  placing  his 
fingers  on  the  organ  stops,  "  when  all  the  natives  of  Papua 
are  assembled  on  this'shore,  the  Nautilus  will  have  nothing 
to  fear  from  their  attacks." 

The  Captain's  fingers  were  then  running  over  the  keys 
of  the  instrument,  and  I  remarked  that  he  touched  only 
the  black  keys,  which  gave  to  his  melodies  an  essentially 
Scotch  character.  Soon  he  had  forgotten  my  presence, 
and  had  plunged  into  a  reverie  that  I  did  not  disturb.  I 
went  up  again  on  to  the  platform — night  had  already 
fallen;  for,  in  this  low  latitude,  the  sun  sets  rapidly  and 
without  twilight.  I  could  only  see  the  island  indistinct- 
ly; but  the  numerous  fires  lighted  on  the  beach  showed 
that  the  natives  did  not  tiiink  of  leaving  it.  I  was  alone 
for  several  hours,  sometimes  thinking  of  the  natives — but 
without  any  dread  of  tlicra,  for  the  imperturbable  con- 
fidence of  the  Captain  was  catching — sometimes  forgetting 
them  to  admire  the  splendors  of  the  niglit  in  the  tropics. 
My  remembrances  went  to  France,  in  the  strain  of  those 
zodiacal  stars  that  would  shine  in  some  hours'  time.  The 
moon  shone  in  the  midst  of  the  constellations  of  the 
zenith. 

Tli«  night  slipped  away  without  any  mischance,  the 
islanders  frightened,  no  doubt,  at  the  sight  of  a  mon- 
ster aground  in  the  bay.  The  panels  were  open,  and 
would  have  offered  an  easy  access  to  the  interior  of  the 
Nautilus, 

At  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  January  I 
went  up  on  to  the  platform.  The  dawn  was  breaking. 
The  island  soon  showed  itself  through  the  dissipating  fogs 
— first  the  shore  then  the  summits. 

The  natives  were  there,  more  numerous  than  on  the  day 
before — 500  or  600  perhaps.  Some  of  them,  profiting  by 
the  low  water,  had  come  on  to  the  coral  at  less  than  two 
cable-lengths  from  the  Nautilus.     I  distinguished  them 


S0,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  116 

easily;  they  were  true  Papuans,  with  athletic  figures;  men 
of  good  race,  large  high  foreheads — large,  but  not  broad, 
and  flat — and  white  teeth.  Their  woolly  hair,  with  a  red- 
dish tinge,  showed  off  on  their  black,  shining  bodies  like 
those  of  the  Nubians.  From  the  lobes  of  their  ears,  cut 
and  distended,  hung  chaplets  of  bones.  Most  of  these 
savages  were  naked.  Amongst  them  I  remarked  some 
women  dressed  from  the  hips  to  the  knees  in  quite  a  crin- 
oline of  herbs  that  sustained  a  vegetable  waistband.  Some 
chiefs  had  ornamented  their  necks  with  a  crescent  and 
collars  of  glass  beads,  red  and  white;  nearly  all  were  armed 
with  bows,  arrows,  and  shields,  and  carried  on  their 
shoulders  a  sort  of  net  containing  those  round  stones  which 
they  cast  from  their  slings  with  great  skill.  One  of  these 
chiefs,  rather  near  to  the  Nautilus,  examined  it  attentive- 
ly. He  was,  perhaps,  a  "  mado"  of  high  rank,  for  he  war 
draped  in  a  mat  of  banana  leaves  notched  round  the  edges 
and  set  off  with  brilliant  colors. 

I  could  easily  have  knocked  down  this  native,  who  was 
within  a  short  length;  but  I  thought  that  it  was  better  to 
wait  for  real  hostile  demonstrations.  Between  Europeans 
and  savages  it  is  proper  for  the  Europeans  to  parry  sharply, 
not  to  attack. 

During  low  water  the  natives  roamed  about  near  the 
Nautilus,  but  were  not  troublesome.  I  heard  them  fre- 
quently repeat  the  word  '' Assai,"  and  by  their  gestures  I 
understood  that  they  invited  me  to  go  on  land,  an  invita- 
tion that  I  declined. 

So  that,  on  that  day,  the  boat  did  not  push  off,  to  the 
great  displeasure  of  Master  Land,  who  could  not  complete 
his  provisions. 

This  adroit  Canadian  employed  his  time  in  preparing 
the  viands  and  meat  that  he  had  brought  off  the  island. 
As  for  the  savages,  they  returned  to  the  shore  abouteleven 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  as  soon  as  the  coral  tops  began  to 
disappear  under  the  rising  tide;  but  I  saw  their  numbers 
had  increased  considerably  on  the  shore.  Probably  they 
came  from  the  neighboring  islands,  or  very  likely  from 
Papua.  However,  I  had  not  seen  a  single  native  canoe. 
Having  nothing  better  to  do,  I  thought  of  dragging  these 
beautiful  limpid  waters,  under  which  I  saw  a  profusion  of 
shells,  zoophytes,  and  marine  plants.  Moreover,  it  was 
the  last  day  that  the  Nautilus  would  pass  in  these  parts, 


120  20,000    LEAGUES    ITKDER    THE    SEAS. 

if  it  float  in  open  sea  the  next  day,  according  to  Captain 
Nemo's  promise. 

I  therefore  called  Conseil,  who  brought  me  a  little  light 
drag,  very  like  those  for  the  oyster-fisliery,  Now  to  work! 
For  two  hours  we  fished  unceasingly,  but  without  bringing 
up  any  rarities.  The  drag  was  filled  with  midas-ears, 
harps,  melames,  and  particularly  the  most  beautiful  ham- 
mers I  have  ever  seen.  We  also  brought  up  some  holo- 
thurias,  pearl-oysters,  and  a  dozen  little  turtles,  that  were 
reserved  for  the  pantry  on  board. 

But  just  when  I  expected  it  least,  I  put  my  hand  on  a 
wonder,  I  might  say  a  natural  deformity,  very  rarely  met 
with.  Conseil  Was  just  dragging,  and  his  net  came  up 
filled  with  divers  ordinary  shells,  when,  all  at  once,  he  saw 
me  plunge  my  arm  quickly  into  the  net,  to  draw  out  a 
shell,  and  heard  me  utter  a  conchological  cry,  that  is  to 
say,  the  most  piercing  cry  that  human  throat  can  utter. 

'*  What  is  the  matter,  sir?"  he  asked,  in  surprise;  *'  has 
master  been  bitten?" 

"  No,  my  boy;  but  I  would  willingly  have  given  a  finger 
for  my  discovery." 

**  What  discovery?" 

'*  This  shell,"  I  said,  holding  up  the  object  of  my 
triumph. 

"It  is  simply  an  olive  porphyry,  genus  olive,  order  of 
the  pectini-branchidse,  class  of  gasteropods,  sub- class  of 
mollusca." 

**Yes,  Conseil;  but  instead  of  being  rolled  from  right 
to  left,  this  olive  turns  from  left  to  right." 

"  Is  it  possible?" 

"Yes,  my  boy;  it  is  a  left-handed  shell." 

Shells  are  all  right-handed,  with  rare  exceptions;  and 
when  by  chance  their  spiral  is  left,  amateurs  are  ready  to 
pay  their  weight  in  gold. 

Conseil  and  I  were  absorbed  in  the  contemplation  of  our 
treasure,  and  I  was  promising  myself  to  enrich  the  mu- 
seum with  it,  when  a  stone,  unfortunately  thrown  by  a 
native,  struck  against  and  broke  the  precious  object  in 
Conseil's  hand.  I  uttered  a  cry  of  despair!  Conseil  took 
up  his  gun,  and  aimed  at  a  savage  who  was  poising  ht& 
sling  at  ten  yards  from  him.  I  would  have  stopped  him, 
but  his  blow  took  effect,  and.  broke  the  bracelet  of  amulets 
which  encircled  the  arm  of  the  savage. 


30,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  121 

"Conseil!"  cried  I;  "Conseill" 

'*  Well,  sir,  do  you  not  see  that  the  cannibal  has  com- 
menced the  attack?" 

"  The  shell  is  not  worth  the  life  of  a  man,"  said  I. 

'*Ah!  the  scoundrel!"  cried  Conseil;  "I  would  rather 
he  had  broken  my  shoulder!" 

Conseil  was  in  earnest,  but  I  was  not  of  his  opinion. 
However,  the  situation  had  been  changed  some  minutes 
before,  and  we  had  not  perceived.  A  score  of  canoes  sur- 
rounded the  Nautilus.  These  canoes,  scooped  out  of  the 
trunk  of  a  tree,  long,  narrow,  well  adapted  for  speed, 
were  balanced  by  means  of  a  long  bamboo  pole,  which 
floated  on  the  water.  They  were  managed  by  skillful, 
half-naked  paddlers,  and  I  watched  their  advance  with 
some  uneasiness.  It  was  evicjlent  that  these  Papuans  had 
already  had  dealings  with  the  Europeans,  and  knew  their 
ships.  But  this  long  iron  cylinder  anchored  in  the  bay, 
without  masts  or  chimney,  what  could  they  think  of  it? 
Nothing  good,  for  at  first  they  kept  at  a  respectful  dis- 
tance. However,  seeing  it  motionless,  by  degrees  they 
took  courage  and  sought  to  familiarize  themselves  with  it. 
Now  this  familiarity  was  precisely  what  it  was  necessary 
to  avoid.  Our  arms,  which  were  noiseless,  could  only 
produce  a  moderate  effect  on  the  savages,  who  have  little 
respect  for  aught  but  blustering  [things.  The  thunder- 
bolt without  the  reverberations  of  thunder  would  frighten 
man  but  little,  though  the  danger  lies  in  the  lightning, 
not  in  the  noise. 

At  this  moment  the  canoes  approached  the  Nautilus, 
and  a  shower  of  arrows  alighted  on  her. 

I  went  down  to  the  saloon,  but  found  no  one  there.  I 
ventured  to  knock  at  the  door  that  opened  into  the  Cap- 
tain's room.     "Come  in,"  was  the  answer. 

I  entered  and  found  Captain  Nemo  deep  in  algebraical 
calculations  of  x  and  other  quantities. 

"  I  am  disturbing  you,"  said  I,  for  courtesy's  sake. 

*'  That  is  true,  M.  Aronnax,"  replied  the  Captain,  *'but 
I  think  you  have  serious  reasons  for  wishing  to  see  me." 

''Very  grave  ones;  the  natives  are  surrounding  us  in 
their  canoes,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  shall  certainly  be 
attacked  by  many  hundreds  of  savages." 

*'Ah!"  said  Captain  Nemo,  quietly,  "they  are  come 
with  their  canoes?" 


122  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Well,  sir,  we  must  close  the  hatches." 

"Exactly,  and  I  came  to  say  to  you- 


"  Nothing  can  be  more  simple,"  said  Captain  Nemo. 
And  pressing  an  electric  button  he  transmitted  an  order  to 
the  ship's  crew. 

**It  is  all  done,  sir,"  said  he,  after  some  moments. 
**  The  pinnace  is  read}'',  and  the  hatches  are  closed.  You 
(Slo  Dot  fear,  I  imagine,  that  these  gentlemen  could  stave 
in  walls  on  which  the  balls  of  your  frigate  have  had  no 
effect?" 

"  No,  Captain;  but  danger  still  exists." 

"  What  is  that,  sir?" 

"  It  is  that  to-morrow,  at  about  this  hour,  we  must 
open  the  hatches  to  renew  the  air  of  the  Nautilus.  Now 
if,  at  this  moment,  the  Papuans  should  occupy  the  plat- 
form, I  do  not  see  how  you  could  prevent  trhem  from 
entering." 

"  Then,  sir,  you  suppose  that  they  will  board  us?" 

"  I  am  certain  of  it." 

"  Well,  sir,  let  them  come.  I  see  no  reason  for  hinder- 
ing them.  After  all,  these  Papuans  are  poor  creatures, 
and  I  am  unwilling  that  my  visit  to  the  Island  of  Gue- 
beroan  should  cost  the  life  of  a  single  one  of  these 
wretches." 

Upon  that  I  was  going  away;  but  Captain  Nemo  de- 
tained me,  and  asked  me  to  sit  down  by  him.  He  ques- 
tioned me  with  interest  about  our  excursions  on  shore,  and 
our  hunting,  and  seemed  not  to  understand  the  craving 
for  meat  that  possessed  the  Canadian.  Then  the  conver- 
sation turned  on  various  subjects,  and  without  being  more 
communicative.  Captain  Nemo  showed  himself  more  ami- 
able. 

Amongst  other  things,  we  happened  to  speak  of  the 
situation  of  the  Nautilus,  run  aground  in  exactly  the  same 
spot  in  this  strait  where  Dumont  d'Urville  was  nearly  lost. 
Apropos  of  this: 

"  This  D'Urville  was  one  of  your  great  sailors,"  said 
the  Captain  tome:  '^one  of  your  most  intelligent  navi- 
gators. He  is  the  Captain  Cook  of  you  Frenchmen.  Un- 
fortunate man  of  science,  after  having  braved  the  icebergs 
of  the  south  pole,  the  coral  reefs  of  Oceanica,  the  canni- 
bals of  the  Pacific,  to  perish  miserably  in  a  railway  train  I 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  123 

If  this  energetic  man  could  liave  reflected  during  the  last 
moments  of  his  life,  what  must  have  been  uppermost  in 
his  last  tlioughts,  do  you  suppose?" 

So  speaking,  Captain  Nemo  seemed  moved,  and  his 
emotion  gave  me  a  better  opinion  of  him.  Then,  chart  in 
liand,  we  reviewed  the  travels  of  the  French  navigator,  his 
voyages  of  circumnavigation,  his  double  detention  at  the 
south  pole,  which  led.  to  the  discovery  of  Adelaide  and 
Louis  Philippe,  and  fixing  the  hydrographical  bearings  of 
the  principal  islands  of  Oceanica. 

**  That  which  your  D'Urville  has  done  on  the  surface  of 
the  seas,"  said  Captain  Nemo,  "that  have  I  done  under 
them,  and  more  easily,  more  completely  than  he.  The 
Astrolabe  and  the  Celia,  incessantly  tossed  about  by  the 
hurricanes,  could  not  be  worth  the  Nautilus,  quiet  reposi- 
tory of  labor  that  she  is,  truly  motionless  in  the  midst  of 
the  waters." 

"  To-morrow,"  added  the  Captain,  rising,  "  to-morrow, 
at  twenty  minutes  to  three  p.m.,  the  Nautilus  shall  float, 
and  leave  the  Strait  of  Torres  uninjured.** 

Having  curtly  pronounced  these  words.  Captain  Nemo 
bowed  slightly.  This  was  to  dismiss  me,  and  I  went  back 
to  my  room. 

There  I  found  Conseil,  who  vnshed  to  know  the  result 
of  my  interview  with  the  Captain. 

"  My  boy,"  said  I,  "  when  1  feigned  to  believe  that  his 
Nautilus  was  threatened  by  the  natives  of  Papua,  the  Cap- 
tain answered  me  very  sarcastically.  I  have  but  one 
thing  to  say  to  you:  Have  confidence  in  him,  and  go  to 
sleep  in  peace." 

"  Have  you  no  need  of  my  services,  sir?" 

*'No,  my  friend.     What  is  Ned  Land  doing?" 

'*  If  you  will  excuse  me,  sir,"  answered  Conseil,  "  friend 
Ned  is  busy  making  a  kangaroo-pie,  which  will  be  a  mar- 
vel." 

I  remained  alone,  and  went  to  bed,  but  slept  indiffer- 
ently. I  heard  the  noise  of  the  savages,  who  stamped  on 
the  platform,  uttering  deafening  cries.  The  night  passed 
thus,  without  disturbing  the  ordinary  repose  of  the  crew. 
The  presence  of  these  cannibals  affected  them  no  more 
than  the  soldiers  of  a  masked  battery  care  for  the  ants  that 
crawl  over  its  front. 

At  six  in  the  morning  I  rose.   The  hatches  had  not  been 


124  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

opened.  The  inner  air  was  not  renewed,  but  the  reser- 
voirs, filled  ready  for  any  emergency,  were  now  resorted 
to,  and  discharged  several  cubic  feet  of  oxygen  into  the 
exhausted  atmosphere  of  the  Nautilus. 

I  worked  in  my  room  till  noon,  without  having  seen 
Captain  Nemo,  even  for  an  instant.  On  board  no  prepa- 
rations  for  departure  were  visible. 

I  waited  for  some  time,  then  went  into  the  large  saloon. 
The  clock  marked  half  past  two.  In  ten  minutes  it  would 
be  high  tide,  and  if  Captain  Nemo  had  not  made  a  rash 
promise,  the  Nautilus  would  be  immediately  detached.  If 
not,  many  months  would  pass  ere  she  could  leave  her  bed 
of  coral. 

However,  some  warning  vibrations  began  to  be  felt  in 
the  vessel.  I  heard  the  keel  grating  against  the  rough, 
calcareous  bottom  of  the  coral-reef. 

At  five-and-twenty  minutes  to  three  Captain  Nemo  ap- 
peared in  the  saloon. 

*'  We  are  going  to  start,"  said  he. 

"All!" replied  I. 

"  I  have  given  the  order  to  open  the  hatches." 

''And  the  Papuans?" 

"  The  Papuans?"  answered  Captain  Nemo,  slightly 
shrugging  his  shoulders. 

**  Will  they  not  come  inside  the  Nautilus?" 

"How?" 

**Only  by  leaping  over  the  hatches  you  have  opened." 

"  M.  Aronnax,"  quietly  answered  Captain  Nemo,  "  they 
will  not  enter  the  hatches  of  the  Nautilus  in  that  way, 
even  if  they  were  open." 

I  looked  at  the  Captain. 

**  You  do  not  understand?"  said  he. 

"  Hardly." 

"  Well,  come  and  you  will  see." 

I  directed  my  steps  toward  the  central  staircase.  There 
Ned  Land  and  Conseil  were  slyly  watching  some  of  the 
ship's  crew,  who  were  opening  the  hatches,  while  cries  of 
rage  and  fearful  vociferations  resounded  outside. 

The  port  lids  were  pulled  down  outside.  Twenty  hor- 
rible faces  appeared.  But  the  first  native  who  placed  hia 
hand  on  the  stair-rail,  struck  from  behind  by  some  invisi- 
ble force,  I  know  not  what,  fled,  uttering  the  most  fearful 
cries,  and  making  the  wildest  contortions. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UifDER    THE    SEAS.  135 

Ten  of  his  companions  followed  liim.  They  met  with 
the  same  fate. 

Conseil  was  in  ecstasy.  Ked  Land,  carried  away  by  his 
violent  instincts,  rushed  on  to  the  staircase.  But  the  mo- 
ment he  seized  the  rail  with  both  hands,  he,  in  his  turn, 
was  overthrown. 

"  I  am  struck  by  a  thunderbolt,"  cried  he,  with  an 
oath. 

This  explained  all.  It  was  no  rail,  but  a  metallic  cable, 
charged  with  electricity  from  the  deck,  communicating 
with  the  platform.  Whoever  touciied  it  felt  a  powerful 
shock — and  this  shock  would  have  been  mortal,  if  Captain 
Nemo  had  discharged  into  the  conductor  the  whole  force 
of  the  current.  It  might  truly  be  said  that  between  his 
assailants  and  himself  he  iiad  stretched  a  network  of  elec- 
tricity which  none  could  pass  with  impunity. 

Meanwhile,  the  exasperated  Papuans  had  beaten  a  re- 
treat, paralyzed  with  terror.  As  for  us,  half  laughing, 
we  consoled  and  rubbed  the  unfortunate  Ned  Land,  who 
swore  like  one  possessed. 

But,  at  this  moment,  the  Nautilus,  raised  by  the  last 
waves  of  the  tide,  quitted  her  coral  bed  exactly  at  the 
fortieth  minute  fixed  by  the  captain.  Her  screws  swept 
the  water  slowly  and  majestically.  Her  speed  increased 
gradually,  and  sailing  on  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  she 
quitted  safe  and  sound  the  dangerous  passes  of  the  Straits 
of  Torres. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

*'^GRI     SOMNI  A." 

The  following  day,  10th  January,  the  Nauti]us  con- 
tinued her  course  between  two  seas,  but  with  such  re- 
markable speed  that  I  could  not  estimate  it  at  less  than 
thirty-five  miles  an  hour.  The  rapidity  of  her  screw  was 
Buch  that  I  could  neither  follow  nor  count  its  evolutions. 
When  I  reflected  that  this  marvelous  electric  agent,  after 
having  afforded  motion,  heat,  and  light  to  the  Nautilus, 
still  protected  us  from  outward  attack,  and  transformed 
her  into  an  ark  of  safety  which  no  profane  hand  might 
touch  without  being  thunder-stricken,  my  admiration  was 


126  20,000    LEAGL'HS    UKDER    THE    SEAS. 

nnbounded,  and  from  the  structure  it  extended  to  the  engi- 
neer who  had  culled  it  into  existence. 

Our  course  was  directed  to  the  west,  and  on  the  11th 
January  we  doubled  Cape  Wessel,  situated  in  135**  longi- 
tude and  lO**  north  latitude,  wliich  forms  the  east  point 
of  the  Gulf  of  Carpentaria.  The  reefs  were  numerous, 
but  more  equalized,  and  marked  on  the  chart  with 
extreme  precision.  The  Nautilus  easily  avoided  the 
breakers  of  Moneyoto  port  and  the  Victoria  reefs  to  star- 
board, placed  at  130**  longitude,  and  on  the  tenth  parallel 
which  we  strictly  followed. 

On  the  13th  January,  Captain  Nemo  arrived  in  the  Sea 
of  Timor,  and  recognized  the  island  of  that  name  in  122" 
longitude. 

From  this  point  the  direction  of  the  Nautilus  inclined 
towards  the  southwest.  Her  head  was  set  for  the  Indian 
Ocean.  Where  would  the  fancy  of  Captain  Nemo  carry 
us  next?  Would  he  return  to  the  Coast  of  Asia?  or  would 
he  approach  again  the  shores  of  Europe?  Improbable 
conjectures  both,  for  a  man  who  fled  from  inhabited  con- 
tinents. Then,  would  he  descend  to  the  south?  Was  he 
going  to  double  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  then  Cape  Horn, 
and  finally  go  as  far  as  the  antarctic  pole?  Would  he 
come  back  at  last  to  the  Pacific,  Avhere  his  Nautilus  could 
sail  free  and  independently?    Time  would  show. 

After  having  skirted  the  sands  of  Cartier,  Hibernia, 
Seringapatam,  and  Scott,  last  efforts  of  the  solid  against 
the  liquid  element,  on  the  14b4i  January  we  lost  siglit  of 
land  altogether.  The  speed  of  the  Nautilus  was  consid- 
erably abated,  and  with  irregular  course,  she  sometimes 
swam  in  the  bosom  of  the  waters,  sometimes  floated  on 
their  surface. 

During  this  period  of  the  voyage,  Captain  Nemo  made 
some  interesting  experiments  on  the  varied  temperature  of 
the  sea  in  different  beds.  Under  ordinary  conditions, 
these  observations  are  made  by  means  of  rather  compli- 
cated instruments,  and  with  somewhat  doubtful  results, 
by  means  of  thermometrical  sounding-leads,  the  glasses 
often  breaking  under  the  pressure  of  the  water,  or  an 
apparatus  grounded  on  the  variation  ol  the  resistance  of 
metals  to  the  electric  currents.  Eesults  so  obtained  could 
not  be  correctly  calculated.  On  the  contrary,  Captain 
Nemo  went  himself  to  test  the  temperature  in  the  depths 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  127 

of  the  sea,  and  his  thermometer,  placed  in  communica- 
tion with  the  different  sheets  of  water,  gave  him  the 
required  degree  immediately  and  accurately. 

It  was  thus  that,  either  by  overloading  her  reservoirs,  or 
by  descending  obliquely  by  means  of  her  inclined  planes, 
the  Nautilus  successively  attained  the  depth  of  three,  four, 
five,  seven,  nine,  and  ten  thousand  yards,  and  the  definite 
result  of  this  experience  was,  that  the  sea  preserved  an 
average  temperature  of  four  degrees  and  a  half,  at  a  depth 
of  five  thousand  fathoms,  under  all  latitudes. 

On  the  16th  January,  the  Nautilus  seemed  becalmed, 
only  a  few  yards  beneath  the  surface  of  the  waves.  Her 
electric  apparatus  remained  inactive,  and  her  motionlesg 
screw  left  her  to  drift  at  the  mercy  of  the  currents.  I 
supposed  that  the  crew  was  occupied  with  interior  repairs, 
rendered  necessary  by  the  violence  of  the  mechanical 
movements  of  the  machine. 

My  companions  and  I  then  witnessed  a  curious  spec- 
tacle. The  hatches  of  the  saloon  were  opened,  and  as  the 
beacon-light  ef  the  Nautilus  was  not  in  action,  a  dim  ob- 
scurity reigned  in  the  midst  of  the  waters.  I  observed  the, 
state  of  the  sea  under  these  conditions,  and  the  largest  fish 
appeared  to  be  no  more  than  scarcely  defined  shadows, 
when  the  Nautilus  found  herself  suddenly  transported  into 
full  light.  I  thought  at  first  that  the  beacon  had  been 
lighted,  and  was  casting  its  electric  radiance  into  the 
liquid  fmass.  I  was  mistaken,  and  after  a  rapid  survey 
perceived  my  error. 

The  Nautilus  floated  in  the  midst  of  a  phosphorescent 
bed,  which,  in  this  obscurity,  became  quite  dazzling.  It 
was  produced  by  myriads  of  luminous  animalculae,  whose 
brilliancy  was  increased  as  they  glided  over  the  metallic 
hull  of  the  v,essel.  I  was  surprised  by  lightning  in  the 
midst  of  these  luminous  sheets,  as  though  they  had  been 
rivulets  of  lead  melted  in  an  ardent  furnace,  or  metallic 
masses  brought  to  a  white  heat,  so  that,  by  force  of  con- 
trast, certain  portions  of  light  appeared  to  cast  a  shade  in 
the  midst  of  the  general  ignition,  from  which  all  shade 
seemed  banished.  No;  this  was  not  the  calm  irradiation 
of  our  ordinary  lightning.  There  was  unusual  life  and 
vigor;  this  was  truly  living  light. 

In  reality,  it  was  an  infinite  agglomeration  of  colored 
^nfusoria,  of  vertible  globules  of  diaphanous  jelly,  pro- 


128  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS. 

videtl  witli  a  thread-like  tentacle,  and  of  which  as  many  as 
twenty-five  thousand  have  been  counted  in  less  than  two 
cubic  half-inches  of  water;  and  their  light  was  increased 
by  the  glimmering  peculiar  to  the  medusse,  starfish, 
aurelia,  and  other  phosphorescent  zoophytes,  impregnated 
by  the  grease  of  the  organic  matter  decomposed  by  the  sea, 
and,  perhaps,  the  mucus  secreted  by  tiie  fish. 

During  several  hours  tlie  Nautilus  floated  in  these  brill- 
iant waves,  and  our  admiration  increased  as  we  watched 
the  marine  monsters  disporting  themselves  like  salaman- 
ders. I  saw  tliere  in  the  midst  of  this  fire  that  burns  not, 
the  swift  and  elegant  porpoise  (the  indefatin:able  clown 
of  the  ocean),  and  some  sword  fish  ten  feet  long,  those 
prophetic  heralds  of  the  hurricane,  whose  formidable  sword 
would  now  and  then  strike  the  glass  of  the  saloon.  Then 
appeared  the  smaller  fish,  the  variegated  balista,  the  leap- 
ing mackerel,  wolf-thorntails,  and  a  hundred  others  which 
striped  the  luminous  atmosphere  as  they  swam.  The 
dazzling  spectacle  was  enchanting!  Perhaps  some  atmos- 
pheric condition  increased  the  intensity  of  this  phenome- 
•  lion.  Perhaps  some  storm  agitated  the  surface  of  the 
waves.  'But  at  this  depth  of  some  yards,  the  Nautilus 
was  unmoved  by  its  fury,  and  reposed  peacefully  in  still 
water. 

So  we  progressed,  incessantly  charmed  by  some  new 
marvel.  Conseil  arranged  and  classed  his  zoophytes,  his 
articulata,  his  mollusks,  his  fishes.  The  days  passed  rapidly 
away,  and  I  took  no  account  of  them.  Ned,  according  to  . 
habit,  tried  to  vary  the  diet  on  board.  Like  snails,  we 
were  fixed  to  our  shells,  and  I  declare  it  is  easy  to  lead  a 
snail's  life. 

Thus  this  life  seemed  easy  and  natural,  and  we  thought 
no  longer  of  the  life  we  led  on  land:  but  something  hap- 
pened to  recall  us  to  the  strangeness  of  our  situation. 

On  the  18th  of  January,  the  Nautilus  was  in  105°  lon- 
gitude and  15°  south  latitude.  The  weather  was  threat- 
ening, the  sea  rough  and  rolling.  There  was  a  strong 
east  wind.  The  barometer,  which  had  been  going  down 
for  some  days,  foreboded  a  coming  storm.  I  went  up  to 
the  platform  just  as  the  second  lieutenant  was  taking  the 
measure  of  the  horary  angles,  and  waited,  according  to 
habit,  till  the  daily  phrase  was  said.  But,  on  this  day,  it 
was  exchanged  for  another  phrase  not  less  incomprehensi- 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  129 

ble.  Almost  directly,  I  saw  Captain  Nemo  appear,  with  a 
glass,  looking  toward  the  horizon. 

For  some  minutes  he  was  immovable,  without  taking 
his  eye  ofE  the  point  of  observation.  Then  he  lowered 
his  glass,  and  exchanged  a  few  words  with  his  lieutenant. 
The  latter  seemed  to  be  a  victim  to  some  emotion  that  he 
tried  in  vain  to  repress.  Captain  Nemo,  having  more 
command  over  himself,  was  cool.  He  seemed,  too,  to  be 
making  some  objections,  to  which  the  lieutenant  replied 
by  formal  assurances;  at  least  I  concluded  so  by  the  differ- 
ence of  the  tones  and  gestures.  For  myself,  I  had  looked 
carefully  in  the  direction  indicated  without  seeing  any- 
thing. The  sky  and  water  were  lost  in  the  clear  line  of 
the  horizon. 

However,  Captain  Nemo  walked  from  one  end  of  the 
platform  to  the  other,  without  looking  at  me,  perhaps 
without  seeing  me.  His  step  was  firm,  but  less  regular 
than  usual.  He  stopped  sometimes,  crossed  his  arms,  and 
observed  the  sea.  What  could  he  be  looking  for  on  that 
immense  expanse? 

The  Nautilus  was  then  some  hundreds  of  miles  from 
the  nearest  coast. 

The  lieutenant  had  taken  up  the  glass,  and  examined 
the  horizon  steadfastly,  going  and  coming,  stamping  his 
foot  and  showing  more  nervous  agitation  than  his  superior 
officer.  Besides,  this  mystery  must  necessarily  be  solved, 
and  before  long;  for,  upon  an  order  from  Captain  Nemo, 
the  engine,  increasing  its  propelling  power,  made  the  screw 
turn  more  rapidly. 

Just  then  the  lieutenant  drew  the  Captain's  attention 
again.  The  latter  stopped  walking,  and  directed  his  glass 
toward  the  place  indicated.  He  looked  long.  I  felt  very 
much  puzzled,  and  descended  to  the  drawing-room  and 
took  out  an  excellent  telescope  that  I  generally  used. 
Then,  leaning  on  the  cage  of  the  watch-light,  that  jutted 
out  from  the  front  of  the  platform,  set  myself  to  look  over 
all  the  line  of  the  sky  and  sea. 

But  my  eye  was  no  sooner  applied  to  the  glass,  than  i^ 
was  quickly  snatched  out  of  my  hands. 

I  turned  round.  Captain  Nemo  was  before  me,  but  I 
did  not  know  him.  His  face  was  transfigured.  His  eyes 
flashed  sullenly;  his  teeth  were  set;  his  stiff  body,  clinched 
fists,  and  head  shrunk  between  the  shoulders,  betrayed  the 


130  20,000    LEAGtJES    UNDEll    THE    SEAS, 

Violent  agitation  that  pervaded  his  whole  frame.  He  did 
not  move.  My  glass,  fallen  from  his  hands,  had  rolled  at 
his  feet. 

Had  I  unwittingly  provoked  this  fit  of  anger?  Did  this 
incomprehensible  person  imagine  that  I  had  discovered 
some  forbidden  secret?  No;  I  was  not  the  object  of  this 
hatred,  for  he  was  not  looking  at  me,  his  eye  was  steadily 
fixed  upon  the  impenetrable  point  of  the  horizon.  At  last 
Captain  Nemo  recovered  himself.  His  agitation  subsided. 
He  addressed  some  words  in  a  foreign  language  to  his 
lieutenant,  then  turned  to  me.  "  M.  Aronnax,"  he  said,  in 
rather  an  imperious  tone,  '*  I  require  you  to  keep  one  of 
the  conditions  that  bind  you  to  me." 

"What is  it.  Captain?" 

"  You  must  be  confined,  with  your  companions,  until  I 
think  fit  to  release  you." 

*'  You  are  the  master,"  I  replied,  looking  steadily  at 
him.     **  But  may  I  ask  you  one  question?" 

**None,  sir." 

There  was  no  resisting  this  imperious  command;  it 
Would  have  been  useless.  I  went  down  to  the  cabin  occu- 
pied by  Ned  Land  and  Conseil,  and  told  them  the  Cap- 
tain's determination.  You  may  judge  how  this  communi- 
cation was  received  by  the  Canadian. 

But  there  was  no  time  for  altercation.  Four  of  the 
crew  waited  at  the  door,  and  conducted  us  to  that  cell 
where  we  had  passed  our  first  night  on  board  the  Nau- 
tilus. 

Ned  Land  would  have  remonstrated,  but  the  door  was 
shut  upon  him. 

*'  Will  master  tell  me  what  this  means?"  asked  Conseil. 

I  told  my  companions  what  had  passed.  They  were  as 
much  astonished  as  I,  and  equally  at  a  loss  how  to  account 
for  it. 

Meanwhile  I  was  absorbed  in  my  own  reflections,  and 
could  think  of  nothing  but  the  strange  fear  depicted  in 
the  Captain's  countenance.  I  was  utterly  at  a  loss  to  ac- 
count for  it,  when  my  cogitations  were  disturbed  by  these 
words  from  Ned  Land: 

''  Hallo!  breakfast  is  ready!" 

And  indeed  the  table  was  laid.  Evidently  Captain 
Nemo  had  given  this  order  at  the  same  time  that  he  had 
hastened  the  speed  of  the  Nautilus, 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  181 

**  Will  master  permit  me  to  make  a  recommendation?" 
asked  Conseil. 

"Yes,  my  boy." 

"Well,  it  is  that  master  breakfasts.  It  is  prudent,  for 
we  do  not  know  what  may  happen." 

"Yon  are  right,  Conseil." 

"Unfortunately,"  said  Ned  Land,  "they  have  only 
given  us  the  ship's  fare." 

"Friend  Ned,"  asked  Conseil,  "what  would  you  have 
said  if  the  breakfast  had  been  entirely  forgotten?" 

This  argument  cut  short  the  harpooner's  recrimina- 
tions. 

We  sat  down  to  table.     The  meal  was  eaten  in  silence. 

Just  then  the  luminous  globe  that  lighted  the  cell  went 
out,  and  left  us  in  total  dax'kness.  Ned  Land  was  soon 
asleep,  and  what  astonished  me  was  that  Conseil  went  off 
into  a  heavy  sleep.  I  was  thinking  what  could  have  caused 
his  irresistible  drowsiness,  when  1  felt  my  brain  becoming 
stupefied.  In  spite  of  my  efforts  to  keep  my  eyes  open, 
they  would  close.  A  painful  suspicion  seized  me.  Evi- 
dently soporific  substances  had  been  mixed  with  the  food 
we  had  just  taken.  Imprisonment  was  not  enough  to 
conceal  Captain  Nemo's  projects  from  us;  sleep  was  more 
necessary. 

I  then  heard  the  panels  shut.  The  undulations  of 
the  sea,  which  caused  a  slight  rolling  motion,  ceased. 
Had  the  Nautilus  quitted  the  surface  of  the  ocean?  Had 
it  gone  back  to  the  motionless  bed  of  water?  I  tried  to 
resist  sleep.  It  was  impossible.  My  breathing  grew 
weak.  I  felt  a  mortal  cold  freeze  my  stiffened  and  half- 
paralyzed  limbs.  My  eyelids,  like  leaden  caps,  fell  over 
my  eyes.  I  could  not  raise  them;  a  morbid  sleep,  full  of 
hallucinations,  bereft  me  of  my  being.  Then  the  visions 
disappeared,  and  left  me  in  complete  insensibility. 


CHAPTER  XXm. 

THE    CORAL    KINGDOM. 

The  next  day  I  woke  with  my  head  singularly  clear 
To  my  great  surprise  I  was  in  my  own  room.     My  com- 
panions,  no   doubt,   had   been  reinstated  in   their  cabin 
without  having  perceived  it  any  more  tban  I.     Of  what 


133  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    TUB    SEAS. 

had  passed  during  tlie  night  they  were  as  ignorant  as  1 
was,  and  to  penetrate  this  mystery  I  only  reckoned  upon 
the  chances  of  tiie  future. 

I  then  thought  of  quitting  my  room.  Was  I  free  again, 
or  a  prisoner?  Quite  free.  I  opened  the  door,  went  to 
the  half-deck,  went  up  the  central  stairs.  The  panels, 
shut  the  evening  before,  were  open.  I  went  on  to  the  plat- 
form. 

Ned  Land  and  Conseil  waited  there  for  me.  I  ques- 
tioned them;  they  knew  nothing.  Lost  in  a  heavy  sleep, 
in  which  they  had  been  totally  unconscious,  they  had  been 
astonished  at  finding  themselves  in  their  cabin. 

As  for  the  Nautilus,  it  seemed  quiet  and  mysterious  as 
ever.  It  floated  on  the  surface  of  the  waves  at  a  moderate 
pace.     Nothing  seemed  changed  on  board. 

The  second  lieutenant  then  came  on  to  the  platform, 
and  gave  the  usual  order  below. 

As  for  Captain  Nemo,  he  did  not  appear. 

Of  the  people  on  board  I  only  saw  the  impassive  stew- 
ard, who  served  me  with  his  usual  dumb  regularity. 

About  two  o'clock,  Lwas  in  the  drawing-room,  busied 
in  arranging  my  notes,  when  the  captain  opened  the  door 
and  appeared.  I  bowed.  He  made  a  slight  inclination 
in  return,  without  speaking.  I  resumed  my  work,  hoping 
that  he  would  perhaps  give  me  some  explanation  of  the 
events  of  the  preceding  night.  He  made  none.  I  looked 
at  him.  He  seemed  fatigued;  his  heavy  eyes  had  not  been 
refreshed  by  sleep;  his  face  looked  very  sorrowful.  He 
walked  to  and  fro,  sat  down  and  got  up  again,  took  up  a 
chance  book,  put  it  down,  consulted  his  instruments  with- 
out taking  his  habitual  notes,  and  seemed  restless  and 
uneasy.     At  last  he  came  up  to  me,  and  said: 

"Are  you  a  doctor,  M.  Aronnax?" 

I  so  little  expected  such  a  question,  that  I  stared  some 
time  at  him  without  answering. 

"Are  you  a  doctor,"  he  repeated.  "Several  of  your 
colleagues  have  studied  medicine." 

"Well,"  said  I,  "I  am  a  doctor  and  resident  surgeon  to 
the  hospital.  I  practiced  several  years  before  entering  the 
museum." 

"Very  well,  sir." 

My  answer  had  evidently  satisfied  the  captain.  But 
not  knowing  what  he  would  say  next,  I  waited  for  other 


30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    8EAS.  133 

questions,  reserving  my  answers  according  to  circum- 
stances. 

**  M.  Aronnax,  will  you  consent  to  prescribe  for  one  of 
my  men?"  he  asked. 

"Is  he  ill?" 

"Yes." 

"  I  am  ready  to  follow  you." 

"Come  then." 

I  own  my  heart  beat,  I  do  not  know  why.  I  saw  a 
certain  connection  between  the  illness  of  one  of  the  crew 
and  the  events  of  the  day  before:  and  this  mystery  inter- 
ested me  at  least  as  much  as  the  sick  man. 

Captain  Nemo  conducted  me  to  the  poop  of  the  Nauti- 
lus, and  took  me  into  a  cabin  situated  near  the  sailor's 
quarters. 

There,  on  a  bed,  lay  a  man  about  forty  years  of  age, 
with  a  resolute  expression  of  countenance,  a  true  type  of 
an  Anglo-Saxon. 

I  leant  over  him.  He  was  not  only  ill,  he  was  wounded. 
His  head  swathed  in  bandages  covered  with  blood,  lay  on 
a  pillow.  1  undid  the  bandages,  and  the  wounded  man 
looked  at  me  with  his  large  eyes  and  gave  no  sign  of  pain 
as  I  did  it.  It  was  a  horrible  wound.  The  skull,  shat- 
tered by  some  deadly  weapon,  left  the  brain  exposed,  which 
was  much  injured.  Clots  of  blood  had  formed  in  the 
bruised  and  broken  mass,  in  color  like  the  dregs  of  wine. 

There  was  both  contusion  and  suffusion  of  the  brain. 
His  breathing  was  slow,  and  some  spasmodic  movements 
of  the  muscles  agitated  his  face.  I  felt  his  pulse.  It  was 
intermittent.  The  extremities  of  the  body  were  growing 
cold  already,  and  I  saw  death  must  inevitably  ensue.  After 
dressing  the  unfortunate  man's  wounds,  I  readjusted  the 
bandages  on  his  head,  and  turned  to  Captain  Nemo. 

"What  caused  this  wound?"  I  asked. 

"What  does  it  signify?"  he  replied,  evasively.  "A 
shock  has  broken  one  of  the  levers  of  the  engine,  which 
struck  myself.     But  your  opinion  as  to  his  state?" 

I  hesitated  before  giving  it. 

"  You  may  speak,"  said  the  captain.  '*  This  man  does 
not  understand  French." 

I  gave  a  last  look  at  the  wounded  man.  **  He  will  bd 
dead  in  two  hours." 

"Can  nothing  save  him?" 


134  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

**  Nothing." 

Captain  Nemo's  hand  contracted,  and  some  tears  glis- 
tened in  his  eyes,  which  I  thought  incapable  of  shedding 
any. 

For  some  moments  I  still  watched  the  dying  man,  whoso 
life  ebbed  slowly.  His  pallor  increased  under  the  electric 
light  that  was  shed  over  his  death-bed.  I  looked  at  his 
intelligent  forehead,  furred  with  premature  wrinkles, 
produged  probably  by  misfortune  and  sorrow.  I  tried  to 
learn  the  secret  of  his  life  from  the  last  words  that  escaped 
his  lips. 

*' You  can  go  now,  M.  Aronnax,"  said  the  captain. 

I  left  him  in  the  dying  man's  cabin,  and  returned  to  my 
room,  much  affected  by  this  scene.  During  the  whole 
day,  I  was  haunted  by  uncomfortable  suspicions,  and  at 
iiiglit  I  slept  badly,  and,  between  my  broken  dreams,  I 
fancied  I  heard  distant  sighs  like  the  notes  of  a  funeral 
psalm.  Were  they  the  prayers  of  the  dead,  murmured  iu 
that  language  that  I  could  not  understand? 

The  next  morning  I  went  on  to  the  bridge.  Captain 
Nemo  was  there  before  me.  As  soon  as  he  perceived  me 
he  came  to  me. 

"  Professor,  will  it  be  convenient  to  you  to  make  a  sub- 
marine excursion  to-day?" 

"  With  my  companions?" 

*'If  they  like." 

*'  We  obey  your  orders,  captain." 

*'  Will  you  be  so  good  then  as  to  put  on  your  cork- 
jackets?" 

It  was  not  a  question  of  dead  or  dying.  I  rejoined  Ned 
Land  and  Conseil,  and  told  them  of  Captain  Nemo's  prop- 
osition. Conseil  hastened  to  accept,  and  this  time  the 
Canadian  seemed  quite  willing  to  follow  our  example. 

It  was  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning.  At  half-past  eight 
we  were  equipped  for  this  new  excursion,  and  provided 
with  two  contrivances  for  light  and  breathing.  The  double 
door  was  open;  and  accompanied  by  Captain  Nemo,  who 
was  followed  by  a  dozen  of  the  crew,  we  set  foot,  at  a 
depth  of  about  thirty  feet,  on  the  solid  bottom  on  which 
the  Nautilus  rested. 

A  slight  declivity  ended  in  an  uneyen  bottom,  at  fifteen 
fathoms  depth.  This  bottom  differed  entirely  from  the 
one  I  had  visited  on  my  first  excursion  under  the  waters 


30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  135 

of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Here,  there  was  no  fine  sand,  no 
submarine  prairies,  no  sea-forest.  I  immediately  recog- 
nized that  marvelous  region  in  which,  on  that  day,  the 
Captain  did  the  honors  to  us.  It  was  the  coral  kingdom. 
In  the  zoophyte  branch  and  in  the  alcyon  class  I  noticed 
the  gorgoniae,  the  isidese,  and  the  corollariae. 

The  light  produced  a  thousand  charming  varieties  play- 
in  the  midst  of  the  branches  that  were  so  vividly  colored. 
I  seemed  to  see  the  membraneous  and  cylindrical  tubes 
tremble  beneath  the  undulation  of  the  waters.  I  was 
tempted  to  gather  their  fresh  petals,  ornamented  with 
delicate  tentacles,  some  just  blown,  the  others  budding, 
while  small  fish,  swimming  swiftly,  touched  them  slightly, 
like  flights  of  birds.  But  if  my  hand  approached  these 
living  flowers,  these  animated  sensitive  plants,  the  whole 
colony  took  alarm.  The  white  petals  re-entered  their  red- 
cases,  the  flowers  faded  as  I  looked,  and  the  bush  changed 
into  a  block  of  stony  knobs. 

Chance  had  thrown  me  just  by  the  most  precious 
specimens  of  this  zoophyte.  This  coral  was  more  valuable 
than  that  found  in  the  Mediterranean,  on  the  coasts  of 
France,  Italy,  and  Barbary.  Its  tints  justified  the  poetical 
names  of  ''Flower  of  Blood,"  and  "Froth  of  Blood,"  that 
trade  has  given  to  its  most  beautiful  productions.  Coral 
is  sold  for  £20  per  ounce;  and  in  this  place,  the  watery 
beds  would  make  the  fortunes  of  a  company  of  coral-divers. 
This  precious  matter,  often  confused  with  other  polypi, 
formed  then  the  inextricable  plots  called  "  macciota," 
and  on  which  I  noticed  several  beautiful  specimens  of 
pink  coral. 

But  soon  the  bushes  contract,  and  the  arborizations  in- 
crease. Eeal  petrified  thickets,  long  joists  of  fantastic 
architecture,  were  disclosed  before  us.  Captain  Nemo 
placed  himself  under  a  dark  gallery,  where  by  a  slight 
declivity  we  reached  a  depth  of  100  yards.  The  light  from 
our  lamps  produced  sometimes  magical  effects,  following 
the  rough  outlines  of  the  natural  arches,  and  pendants  dis- 
posed like  lusters,  that  were  tipped  with  points  of  fire. 
Between  the  coralline  shrubs  I  noticed  other  polypi  not 
less  curious — melites,  and  irises  with  articulated  ramifica- 
tions; also  some  tufts  of  coral,  some  green,  others  red,  like 
sea- weed  incrusted  in  their  calcareous  salts,  that  natural- 
ists, after  long  discussion,  have  definitely  classed  in  the 


136  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER-  THE    SEAS 

vegetable  kingdom.  But  following  the  remark  of  a  think, 
ing  man,  ''  there  is  perhaps  the  real  point  where  life  rises 
obscurely  from  the  sleep  of  a  stone,  without  detaching 
itself  from  the  rough  point  of  departure." 

At  last,  after  walking  two  hours,  we  had  attained  a 
depth  of  about  300  yards,  that  is  to  say,  the  extreme  limit 
on  which  coral  begins  to  form.  But  there  was  no  isolated 
bush,  nor  modest  brushwood,  at  the  bottom  of  lofty  trees. 
It  was  an  immense  forest  of  large  mineral  vegetations, 
enormous  petrified  trees,  united  by  garlands  of  elegant  plu- 
marias,  sea  bindweed,  all  adorned  with  clouds  and  reflec- 
tions. We  passed  freely  under  their  high  branches,  lost 
in  the  shade  of  the  waves,  while  at  our  feet,  tubipores, 
meandrines,  stars,  fungi,  and  caryophyllidae  formed  a 
carpet  of  flowers  sown  with  dazzling  gems.  What  an  in- 
describable spectacle! 

Captain  Nemo  had  stopped.  I  and  my  companions 
halted,  and  turning  round,  I  saw  his  men  were  forming  a 
semicircle  round  their  chief.  Watching  attentively,  I 
observed  that  four  of  them  carried  on  their  shoulders  an 
object  of  an  oblong  shape. 

We  occupied,  in  this  place,  the  center  of  a  vast  glade 
surrounded  by  the  lofty  foliage  of  the  submarine  forest. 
Our  lamps  threw  over  this  place  a  sort  of  clear  twilight 
tliat  singularly  elongated  the  shadows  on  the  ground.  At 
the  end  of  the  glade  the  darkness  increased,  and  was  only 
relieved  by  little  sparks  reflected  by  the  points  of  coral. 

Ned  Land  and  Oonsell  were  near  me.  We  watched,  and 
I  thought  I  was  going  to  witness  a  strange  scene.  On 
observing  the  ground,  I  saw  that  it  was  raised  in  certain 
places  by  slight  excrescences  incrusted  with  limy  deposits, 
and  disposed  with  a  regularity  that  betrayed  the  hand  of 
man. 

In  the  midst  of  the  glade,  on  a  pedestal  of  rocks 
roughly  piled  up,  stood  a  cross  of  coral,  that  extended  its 
long  arms  that  one  might  have  thought  were  made  of 
petrified  blood. 

Upon  a  sign  from  Captain  Nemo,  one  of  the  men  ad- 
vanced; and  at  some  feet  from  the  cross,  he  began  to  dig 
a  hole  with  a  pickax  that  he  took  from  his  belt.  I  under- 
stood all!  This  glade  was  a  cemetery,  this  hoi?  »  tomb, 
this  oblong  object  the  body  of  the  man  who  had  diea  w, 
the  night!    The  Captain  and  his  men«  had  come  to  buir, 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  18/ 

their  companion  in  this  general  resting-place,  at  the 
bottom  of  this  inaccessible  ocean. 

The  grave  was  being  dug  slowly;  the  fish  fled  on  all 
eides  while  their  retreat  was  thus  being  disturbed;  I  heard 
the  strokes  of  the  pickax,  which  sparkled  when  it  hit 
upon  some  flint  lost  at  the  bottom  of  the  waters.  The 
hole  was  soon  large  and  deep  enough  to  receive  the  body. 
Then  the  bearers  approached;  the  body,  enveloped  in  a 
tissue  of  wliite  byssus,  was  lowered,  into  the  damp  grave. 
Captain  Nemo,  with  his  arms  crossed  on  his  breast,  and  all 
the  friends  of  him  who  had  loved  them,  knelt  in  prayer. 

The  grave  was  then  filled  in  with  the  rubbish  taken  from 
the  ground,  which  formed  a  slight  mound.  When  this 
was  done.  Captain  Nemo  and  his  men  rose;  then,  ap- 
proaching the  grave,  they  knelt  again,  and  all  extended 
their  hands  in  sign  of  a  last  adieu.  Then  the  funeral 
procession  returned  to  the  Nautilus,  passing  under  the 
arches  of  the  forest,  in  the  midst  of  thickets,  along  the 
coral  bushes,  and  still  on  the  ascent.  At  last  the  fires  on 
board  appeared,  and  their  luminous  track  guided  us  to  the 
Nautilus.     At  one  o'clock  we  had  returned. 

As  soon  as  I  had  changed  my  clothes,  I  went  up  on  to 
the  platform,  and,  a  prey  to  conflicting  emotions,  I  sat 
down  near  the  binnacle.  Captain  Nemo  joined  me.  I 
rose  and  said  to  him: 

"  So,  as  I  said  he  would,  this  man  died  in  the  night?" 

"  Yes,  M.  Aronnax." 

"And  he  rests  now,  near  his  companions,  in  the  coral 
cemetery?" 

"  Yes,  forgotten  by  all  else,  but  not  by  us.  We  dug 
the  grave,  and  the  polypi  undertake  to  seal  our  dead  for 
all  eternity."  And  burying  his  face  quickly  in  his  hands, 
he  tried  in  vain  to  suppress  a  sob.  Then  he  added — "  Our 
peaceful  cemetery  is  there,  some  hundred  feet  below  the 
surface  of  the  waves. " 

"  Your  dead  sleep  quietly,  at  least,  Captain,  out  of  the 
reach  of  sharks." 

"  Yes,  sir,  of  sharks  and  men,"  gravely  replied  the 
Captain. 


138  30,000    LEAGUES    UNDEll    THE    SEAS. 


PART  It 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  IlfDIAN  OCEAN. 

We  now  come  to  the  second  part  of  our  Journey  under 
the  sea.  The  first  ended  with  the  moving  scene  in  tlve 
coral  cemetery,  which  left  such  a  deep  impression  on  my 
mind.  Thus,  in  the  midst  of  this  great  sea,  Captain 
Nemo's  life  was  passing  even  to  his  grave,  which  he  had 
prepared  in  one  of  its  deepest  abysses.  There  not  one  of 
the  ocean's  monsters  could  trouble  the  last  sleep  of  the 
crew  of  the  Nautilus,  of  those  friends  riveted  to  each  other 
in  death  as  in  life.  "  Nor  any  man  either,"  had  added 
the  Captain.  Still  the  same  fiei'ce,  implacable  defiance 
toward  human  society. 

I  could  no  longer  content  myself  with  the  hypothesis 
that  satisfied  Conseil. 

That  worthy  fellow  persisted  in  seeing  in  the  commai'der 
of  the  Nautilus  one  of  those  unknown  savants  who  return 
mankind  contempt  for  indifference.  For  him,  he  was  a 
misunderstood  genius,  who,  tired  of  earth's  deceptions, 
had  taken  refuge  in  this  inaccessible  medium,  where  he 
might  follow  his  instincts  freely.  To  my  mind,  this 
hypothesis  explained  but  one  side  of  Captain  Nemo's 
character. 

Indeed,  the  mystery  of  that  last  night,  during  which  we 
had  been  chained  in  prison,  the  sleep,  and  the  precaution 
so  Tiolently  taken  by  the  captain  of  snatching  from  my 
eyes  the  glass  I  had  raised  to  sweep  the  horizon,  the  mortal 
wound  of  the  man,  due  to  an  unaccountable  stock  of  the 
Nautilus,  all  put  me  on  a  new  track.  No;  Captain  Nemo 
was  not  satisfied  with  shunning  man.  His  formidable  ap- 
paratus not  only  suited  his  instinct  of  freedom,  but,  per- 
haps, the  design  of  some  terrible  retaliation. 

At  this  moment  nothing  is  clear  to  me;  I  catch  but  a 
glimpse  of  light  amidst  all  the  darkness,  and  I  must  con- 
fine myself  to  writing  as  events  shall  dictate, 


That  day,  the  24th  of  Tivnuary,  1868,  at  noon^  the  second 
officer  came  to  take  altitude  of  the  snn.  I  mounted  the 
platform,  lit  a  cigar,  and  watched  the  operation.  It 
seemed  to  me  that  the  man  did  not  understand  French; 
for  several  times  I  made  remarks  in  a  loud  voice,  which 
must  have  drawn  from  him  some  involuntary  sign  of  atten- 
tion if  he  had  understood  them;  but  he  remained  undis- 
turbed and  dumb. 

As  he  was  taking  observations  with  the  sextant,  one  of 
the  sailors  of  the  Nautilus  (the  strong  man  who  had  accom- 
panied us  on  our  first  submarine  excursion  to  the  Island  of 
Crespo)  came  to  clean  the  glasses  of  the  lantern.  I  ex- 
amined the  fittings  of  the  apparatus,  the  strength  of  which 
was  increased  a  hundred-fold  by  lenticular  rings,  placed 
similar  to  those  in  a  light-hotise,  and  which  projected  their 
brilliance  in  a  horizontal  plane.  The  electric  lamp  was 
combined  in  such  a  way  as  to  give  its  most  powerful  light. 
Indeed  it  was  produced  in  vacuo,  which  insured  both  its 
steadiness  and  its  intensity.  This  vacuum  economized  the 
graphite  points,  between  which  the  luminous  arc  was  de- 
veloped— an  important  point  of  economy  for  Captain 
Nemo,  who  could  not  easily  have  replaced  them;  and  under 
these  conditiong  their  waste  was  imperceptible.  When  the 
Nautilus  was  ready  to  continue  its  submarine  journey,  I 
went  down  to  the  saloon.  The  panels  were  closed,,  /vnd  the 
course  marked  direct  west. 

We  were  furrowing  the  waters  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  a 
vast  liquid  plane,  with  a  surface  of  1,200,000,000  of  acres, 
and  whose  waters  are  so  clear  and  transparent,  that  any 
one  leaning  over  them  would  turn  giddy.  The  Nautilus 
usually  floated  between  fifty  and  a  hundred  fathoms  deep. 
We  went  on  so  for  some  days.  To  any  one  but  myself, 
vi'ho  had  a  great  love  for  the  sea,  the  hours  would  have 
seemed  long  and  monotonous;  but  the  daily  walks  oi]  the 
platform,  when  I  steeped  myself  in  the  reviving  air  of  tlie 
ocean,  the  sight  of  the  rich  waters  through  the  windows  of 
the  saloon,  the  books  in  the  library,  the  compiling  of  my 
memoirs,  took  up  all  my  time,  and  left  me  not  a  moment 
of  ennui  or  weariness. 

For  some  days  we  saw  a  great  number  of  aquatic  birds, 
sea-mews  or  gulls.  Some  were  cleverly  killed  and,  pre- 
pared in  a  certain  way,  made  very  acceptable  water-gamo. 
Amongst  large  winged  birds,  carried  a  long  distance  from 


all  lands,  and  resting  upon  the  vavcs  from  the  fatigue 
of  their  flight,  I  saw  some  magniljcent  albatrosses,  utter- 
ing discordant  cries  like  the  braying  of  an  ass,  and  birds 
belonging  to  the  family  of  the  loiigipennates.  The  family 
of  the  totipalmates  was  represented  by  the  sea-swallows, 
which  caught  the  fish  from  the  surface,  and  by  numerous 
phaetons,  or  lepturi;  amongst  others,  the  phaeton  with 
red  lines,  as  large  as  a  pigeon,  whose  white  plumage, 
tinted  with  pink,  shows  off  to  advantage  the  blackness  of 
its  wings. 

As  to  the  fish,  they  always  provoked  our  admiratiojc 
when  we  surprised  the  secrets  of  their  aquatic  life,  through 
the  open  panels.  I  saw  m.any  kinds  which  I  never  before 
had  a  chance  of  observing. 

I  shall  notice  chiefly  ostracions  peculiar  to  the  Red  Sea, 
the  Indian  Ocean,  and  that  part  which  Avashes  the  coast 
of  tropical  America.  These  fishes,  like  the  tortoise,  the 
armadillo,  the  sea  hedgehog,  and  the  Crustacea,  are  pro- 
tected by  a  breastplate  which  is  neither  chalky  nor  stony, 
but  real  bone.  In  some  it  takes  the  form  of  a  solid  trian- 
gle, in  others  of  a  solid  quadrangle.  Amongst  the  trian- 
gular I  saw  some  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length,  with 
wholesome  flesh  and  a  delicious  flavor;  they  are  brown  at 
the  tail^  and  yellow  at  the  fins,  and  I  recommend  their 
introduction  into  fresh  water,  which  to  a  certain  number 
of  sea-fish  easily  accustom  themselves.  I  would  also 
mention  quadrangular  ostracions,  having  on  the  back  four 
large  tubercles;  some  dotted  over  with  white  spots  on  tlie 
lower  part  of  the  body,  and  which  may  be  tamed  like 
birds;  trigons  provided  with  spikes  formed  by  the  length- 
ening of  their  bony  shell,  and  which  from  their  strange 
gruntings  are  called  "sea-pigs";  also  dromedaries  with 
large  humps  in  the  shape  of  a  cone,  whose  flesh  is  very 
tough  and  leathery. 

I  now  borrow  from  the  daily  notes  of  Master  Conseil. 
*'  Certain  fish  of  the  genus  pretodon  peculiar  to  those  seas, 
with  red  backs  and  white  chests,  which  are  distinguished 
by  three  rows  of  longitudinal  filament:  and  some  electric- 
al, seven  inches  long,  decked  in  the  liveliest  colors. 
Then,  as  specimens  of  other  kinds,  some  ovoides,  resem- 
bling an  egg  of  a  dark  brown  color,  marked  with  white 
bands,  and  without  tails;  diodons,  real  sea-porcupinei, 
furnished  with  spikes,  and  capable  of  swelling,  in  such  a 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  14,1 

way  as  to  look  like  cushions  bristling  with  darts;  liippo- 
campi,  common  to  every  ocean;  some  pigasi  with  length- 
ened snouts,  which  their  pectoral  fins,  being  much 
elongated,  and  formed  in  the  shape  of  wings,  allow,  if  not 
to  fly,  at  least  to  shoot  into  the  air;  pigeon  spatulae,  with 
tails  covered  with  many  rings  of  shell;  macrognathi  with 
long  jaws,  an  excellent  fish,  nine  inches  long,  and  bright 
with  most  agreeable  colors;  pale-colored  calliomores,  with 
rugged  heads;  and  plenty  of  cheetodons,  with  long  and 
tubular  muzzles,  which  kill  insects  by  shooting  them,  as 
from  an  air-gun,  with  a  single  drop  of  water.  These  we 
may  call  the  fly  catchers  of  the  seas. 

'"'In  the  eighty-ninth  genus  of  fishes,  classed  by  Lace- 
pede,  belonging  to  the  second  lower  class  of  bony,  cliarac- 
terized  by  opercules  and  bronchial  membranes,  I  remarked 
the  scorpaena,  the  head  of  which  is  furnished  with  spikes, 
an(J. which  has  but  one  dorsal  fin;  these  creatures  are 
covered,  or  not,  with  little  shells,  according  to  the  sub- 
class to  which  they  belong.  The  second  sub-class  gives 
us  specimens  of  didactyles  fourteen  or  fifteen  inches  in 
lengtii,  with  yellow  rays,  and  heads  of  a  most  fantastic 
appearance.  As  to  the  first  sub-class,  it  gives  several 
specimens  of  that  singular-looking  fish  appropriately  called 
a  '  sea-frog,'  with  large  head,  sometimes  pierced  witli 
holes,  sometimes  swollen  with  protuberances,  bristling 
with  spikes  and  covered  with  tubercles;  it  has  irregular 
and  hideous  horns;  its  body  and  tail  are  covered  with 
callosities;  its  sting  makes  a  dangerous  wound;  it  is  both 
repugnant  and  horrible  to  look  at."  » 

From  the  21st  to  the  23d  of  January,  the  Nautilus 
went  at  the  rate  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  in 
twenty-four  hours,  being  five  hundred  and  forty  miles  or 
twenty-two  miles  an  hour.  If  we  recognized  so  many 
different  varieties  of  fish,  it  was  because,  attracted  by  the 
electric  light,  they  tried  to  follow  us;  the  greater  part, 
however,  were  soon  distanced  by  our  speed,  though  some 
kept  their  pace  in  the  waters  of  the  Nautilus  for  a  time. 
The  morning  of  the  24th,  in  12®  5' south  latitude,  and  91'^ 
3°  longitude,  we  observed  Keeling  Island,  a  madrepore 
formation,  planted  with  magnificent  cocoas,  and  which 
had  been  visited  by  Mr.  Darwin  and  Captain  Fitzroy. 
The  Nautilus  skirted  the  shores  of  this  desert  island  for  a 
little  distance.    Its  nets  brought  up  numerous  specimens 


142  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDEE,    THE    SEAS. 

of  polypi,  and  curious  shells  of  mollnsca.  Some  precious 
productions  of  the  species  of  delphinulae  enriched  the 
treasures  of  Captain  Nemo,  to  which  I  added  an  asti"8ea 
punctifera,  a  kind  of  parasite  polypus  often  found  fixed 
to  a  shell.  Soon  Keeling  Island  disappeared  from  ti)e 
horizon,  and  our  course  was  directed  to  the  northwest  in 
the  direction  of  the  Indian  Peninsula 

From  Keeling  Island  our  course  was  slower,  and  more 
variable,  often  taking  us  into  great  depths.  Several  times 
they  made  use  of  the  inclined  planes,  which  certain  in- 
ternal levers  placed  obliquely  to  the  water-line.  In  that 
way  we  went  about  two  miles,  but  without  ever  obtaining 
the  greatest  depths  of  the  Indian  Sea,  which  soundings  of 
seven  thousand  fathoms  have  never  reached.  As  to  the 
temperature  of  the  lower  strata,  the  thermometer  invari- 
bly  indicated  4°  above  zero.  I  only  observed  that,  in  the 
upper  regions,  the  water  was  always  colder  in  the  high 
levels  than  at  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

On  the  25th  of  January,  the  ocean  was  entirely  deserted; 
the  Nautilus  passed  the  day  on  the  surface,  beating  the 
waves  with  its  powerful  screw,  and  making  them  rebound 
to  a  great  height.  Who  under  such  circumstances  would 
not  have  taken  it  for  a  gigantic  cetacean?  Three  parts  of 
this  day  I  spent  on  the  platform.  I  watched  the  sea. 
Nothing  on  the  horizon,  till  about  four  o'clock  a  steamer 
running  west  on  our  counter.  Her  masts  were  visible  for 
an  instant,  but  she  could  not  see  the  Nautilus,  being  too 
low  in  the  water.  I  fancied  this  steamboat  belonged  to 
the  P.  0.  Company,  which  runs  from  Ceylon  to  Sydney, 
touching  at  King  George's  Point  and  Melbourne. 

At  five  o'clock  in  the  evening,  before  that  fleeting  twi- 
light which  binds  night  to  day  in  tropical  zones,  Conseil 
and  I  were  astonished  by  a  curious  spectacle. 

It  was  a  shoal  of  argonauts  traveling  along  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  ocean.  We  could  count  several  hundreds. 
Tiiey  belonged  to  the  tubercle  kind  which  are  peculiar  to 
the  Indian  seas.  These  graceful  molluscs  moved  back- 
ward bv  means  of  their  locomotive  tube,  through  which 
tiiey  propelled  the  water  already  drawn  in.  Of  their  eight 
tentacles,  six  were  elongated,  and  stre-tclied  out  floating  on 
the  water,  whilst  the  other  two,  rolled  up  flat,  were  spread 
to  the  wind  like  a  light  sail.  I  saw  their  spiral-shaped 
and  fluted  shells,  which  Ouvier  justly  compares  to  an  ele* 


20,000    LEAGUES    UJS^DER    THE    SEAS.  143 

gant  skiff.  A  boat  indeed!  It  bears  the  creature  which 
secretes  it  without  its  adhering  to  it. 

For  nearly  an  hour  the  Nautilus  floated  in  the  midst  of 
this  shoal  of  molluscs.  Then  I  know  not  what  sudden 
fright  they  took;  but  as  if  at  a  signal  every  sail  was  furled, 
the  arms  folded,  the  body  drawn  in,  the  shells  turned  over, 
changing  their  center  of  gravity,  and  the  whole  fleet  dis- 
appeared under  the  waves.  Never  did  the  ships  of  a  squad- 
ron maneuver  with  more  unity. 

At  tliat  moment  night  fell  suddenly,  and  the  reeds, 
scarcely  raised  by  the  breeze,  lay  peaceably  under  the  sides 
of  the  Nautilus. 

The  next  day,  26th  of  January,  we  cut  the  equator  at 
the  eighty-second  meridian,  and  entered  the  northern 
hemisphere.  During  'me  day,  a  formidable  troop  of  sharks 
accompanied  us,  terrible  creatures,  which  multiply  in  these 
seas,  and  make  them  very  dangerous.  They  were  "  ces- 
tracio  philippi  "  sharks,  with  brown  backs  and  whitish 
bellies,  armed  with  eleven  rows  of  teeth — eyed  sharks — 
their  throat  being  marked  with  a  large  black  spot  sur- 
rounded with  white  like  an  eye.  There  were  also  some 
Isabella  sharks,  with  rounded  snouts  marked  with  dark 
spots.  These  powerful  creatures  often  hurled  themselves 
at  the  windows  of  the  saloon  with  such  violence  as  to 
make  us  feel  very  insecure.  At  such  times  Ned  Land  was 
no  longer  master  of  himself.  He  wanted  to  go  to  the 
surface  and  harpoon  the  monsters,  particularly  certain 
smooth-hound  sharks,  whose  mouth  is  studded  with  teeth 
like  a  mosaic;  and  large  tiger-sharks  nearly  six  yards  long, 
the  last-named  of  which  seemed  to  excite  him  more  par- 
ticularly. But  the  Nautilus,  accelerating  her  speed,  easily 
left  the  most  rapid  of  them  behind. 

The  27fch  of  January,  at  the  entrance  of  the  vast  Bay  of 
Bengal,  we  met  repeatedly  a  forbidding  spectacle — dead 
bodies  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  They  were 
the  dead  of  the  Indian  villages,  carried  by  the  Ganges  to 
the  level  of  the  sea,  and  which  the  vultures,  the  only  un- 
dertakers of  the  country,  had  not  been  able  to  devour. 
But  the  sharks  did  not  fail  to  help  them  at  their  funereal 
work. 

About  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  Nautilus,  half 
immersed,  was  sailing  in  a  sea  of  milk.  At  first  sight  the 
ocean  seemed  lactified.  Was  it  the  effect  of  the  lunar  rays? 


144  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDEll    THE    SEAS. 

No;  for  the  moon,  scarcely  two  days  old,  was  still  lying 
hidden  under  the  horizon  in  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The 
whole  sky,  though  lit  by  the  siderial  rays,  seemed  black  by 
contrast  with  tlie  whiteness  of  the  waters. 

Conseil  could  not  believe  his  eyes,  and  questioned  me  as 
to  the  cause  of  this  strange  phenomenon.  Happily  I  was 
able  to  answer  him. 

"It  is  called  a  milk  sea,"  I  explained;  "a.  large  extent 
of  white  wavelets  often  to  be  seen  on  the  coasts  of  Am- 
boyna,  and  in  these  parts  of  the  sea." 

*'  But,  sir,"  said  Conseil,  "  can  you  tell  me  what  causes 
such  an  effect?  for  I  suppose  the  water  is  not  really  turned 
into  milk." 

■^  No,  my  boy;  and  the  whiteness  which  surprises  you 
is  caused  only  by  the  presence  of  myriads  of  infusoria,  a 
sort  of  luminous  little  worm,  gelatinous  and  without  color, 
of  the  thickness  of  a  hair,  and  whose  length  is  not  more 
than  seven  one- thousandths  of  an  inch.  These  insects  ad- 
here to  one  another  sometimes  for  several  leagues." 

"  Several  leagues!"  exclaimed  Conseil. 

"  Yes,  my  boy;  and  you  need  not  try  to  compute  the 
number  of  these  infusoria.  You  will  not  be  able;  for,  if 
I  am  not  mistaken,  ships  have  floated  on  these  milk  seas 
for  more  than  forty  miles." 

Toward  midnight  the  sea  suddenly  resumed  its  usual 
color;  but  behind  us,  even  to  the  limits  of  the  hcrizon, 
the  sky  reflected  the  whitened  waves,  and  for  a  long  time 
seemed  impregnated  with  the  vague  glimmerings  of  an 
aurora  borealis. 


CHAPTER  IT. 

A  NOVEL   PROPOSAL. 

On  the  28th  of  February,  when  at  noon  the  Nautilus 
came  to  the  surface  of  the  sea,  in  9°  4'  north  latitude, 
there  was  land  in  sight  about  eight  miles  to  westward. 
The  first  thing  I  noticed  was  a  range  of  mountains  about 
two  thousand  feet  high,  the  shapes  of  which  were  most 
capricious.  On  taking  the  bearings,  I  knew  that  we  were 
nearing  the  Island  of  Ceylon,  the  pearl  which  hangs  from 
the  lobe  of  the  Indian  Peninsula. 

Captain  Nemo  and  his  second  appeared  at  this  moment. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER     THE    SEAS.  145 

The  captain  glanced  at  the  map.  Then,  turning  to  me, 
said: 

"  The  Island  of  Ceylon,  noted  for  its  pearl-fisheries. 
Would  you  like  to  visit  one  of  them,  M.  Aronnax?" 

**  Certainly,  Captain." 

"Well,  the  thing  is  easy.  Though  if  we  see  the  fish- 
eries, we  shall  not  see  the  fishermen.  The  annual  export- 
ation has  not  yet  begun.  Never  mind,  I  will  give  orders 
to  make  for  the  Gulf  of  Manaar,  where  we  shall  arrive  in 
the  night." 

The  captain  said  something  to  his  second,  who  imme- 
diately went  out.  Soon  the  Nautilus  returned  to  her  native 
element,  and  the  manometer  showed  that  she  was  about 
thirty  feet  deep. 

*'  Well,  sir,"  said  Captain  Nemo,  **  you  and  your  com- 
panions shall  visit  the  Bank  of  Manaar,  and  if  by  chance 
some  fisherman  should  be  there,  we  shall  see  him  work." 

"Agreed,  Captain!" 

"  By  the  bye,  M.  Aronnax,  you  are  not  afraid  of  sharks?" 

"Sharks!"  exclaimed  I. 

This  question  seemed  a  very  hard  one. 

"Well,"  continued  Captain  Nemo. 

"I  admit.  Captain,  that  I  am  not  very  familiar  with 
that  kind  of  fish." 

"We  are  accustomed  to  them,"  replied  Captain  Nemo; 
"and  in  time  you  will  be,  too.  However,  we  shall  be 
armed,  and  on  the  road  we  may  be  able  to  hunt  some  of 
the  tribe.  It  is  interesting.  So,  till  to-morrow,  sir,  and 
early." 

Tliis  said  in  a  careless  tone,  Captain  Nemo  left  the 
saloon.  Now,  if  you  were  invited  to  hunt  the  bear  in  tiie 
mountains  of  Switzerland,  what  would  you  say?  "Very 
well!  to-morrow  we  will  go  and  hunt  the  bear."  If  you 
were  asked  to  hunt  the  lion  in  the  plains  of  Atlas,  or  the 
tiger  in  the  Indian  jungles,  what  would  you  say?  "Hu! 
ha!  it  seems  we  are  going  to  hunt  the  tiger  or  the  lion!  " 
But  when  you  are  invited  to  hunt  the  shark  in  its  natural 
element,  you  would  perhaps  reflect  before  accepting  Jthe 
invitation.  As  for  myself,  I  passed  my  hand  over  my 
forehead,  on  which  stood  large  drops  of  cold  perspiration. 
"  Let  us  reflect,"  said  I,  "  and  take  our  time.  Hunting 
otters  in  submarine  forests,  as  we  did  in  the  Island  of 
Crcspo,  will  pass;  but  going  up  and  down  at  the  bottom 


146  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

of  tlic  so;i,  where  one  is  almost  ccrtuin  to  meet  sharks,  is 
(juite  another  thing!  I  know  well  that  in  certain  countries, 
particularly  in  the  Andaman  Islands,  the  negroes  never 
hesitate  to  attack  them  with  a  dagger  in  one  hand  and  a 
running  noose  in  the  other,  but  I  also  know  that  few  who 
affront  those  creatures  ever  return  alive.  However,  I  am 
not  a  negro,  and,  if  I  were,  1  think  a  little  hesitation  in 
this  case  would  not  be  ill-timed." 

At  this  moment,  Conseil  and  the  Canadian  entered, 
quite  composed,  and  even  joyous.  They  knew  not  what 
awaited  them. 

"Faith,  sir,"  said  Ned  Land,  *'your  Captain  Nemo — 
the  devil  take  him! — has  Just  made  a  very  pleasant  offer." 

"Ah!"  said  I,  "you  know?" 

"  If  agreeable  to  you,  sir,"  interrupted  Conseil,  *"•  the 
commander  of  the  Nautilus  has  invited  us  to  visit  the 
magnificent  Ceylon  fisheries  to-morrow  in  your  company; 
he  did  it  kindly,  an.i  behaved  like  a  real  gentleman." 

"  He  said  nothing  more?" 

"  Notliing  more,  sir,  except  that  he  had  already  spo"Ken 
to  you  of  tliis  little  walk." 

"  Sir,"  said  Conseil,  "  would  you  give  us  some  details  of 
the  pearl-fishery?" 

"  As  to  the  fishing  itself,"  I  asked,  "  or  the  incidents, 
which?" 

"  On  the  fishing,"  replied  the  Canadian;  "  before  enter- 
ing upon  the  ground  it  is  as  well  to  know  something 
about  it." 

"  Very  well;  sit  down,  my  friends,  and  I  will  teach  you." 

Ned  and  Conseil  seated  themselves  on  an  ottoman,  and 
tlie  first  thing  the  Canadian  asked  was: 

"  Sir,  what  is  a  pearl?" 

"  My  worthy  Ned,"  I  answered,  "to  the  poet  a  pearl  is 
a  tear  of  the  sea;  to  the  Orientals  it  is  a  drop  of  dew  solid- 
ified; to  the  ladies,  it  is  a  jewel  of  an  oblong  shape,  of  a 
brilliancy  of  mother-of-pearl  substance,  which  they  wear 
oil  their  fingers,  their  necks,  or  their  ears;  for  the  chem- 
ist it  is  a  mixture  of  phosphate  and  carbonate  of  lime, 
with  a  little  gelatine;  and  lastly,  for  naturalists,  it  is 
simply  a  morbid  secretion  of  tlie  organ  that  produces  tha 
mother-of-pearl  amongst  certain  bivalves." 

"  Branch  of  mollusca,"  said  Conseil,  "  class  of  acephali, 
order  of  testacea." 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS.  147 

"Precisely  so,  my  learned  Conseil;  and  amongst  these 
testacea,  the  earshell;  the  tridacnae,  the  turbots — in  a 
word,  all  those  which  secrete  motner-of-pearl,  that  is,  the 
Mne,  bluish,  violet,  or  white,  substance  which  lines  the 
interior  of  their  shells,  are  capable  of  producing  peaiis." 

**  Mussels  too?"  asked  the  Canadian. 

"Yes,  mussels  of  certain  waters  in  Scotland,  Wales, 
Ireland,  Saxony,  Bohemia  and  France." 

"  Good!  For  the  future  I  shall  pay  attention,"  replied 
the  Canadian. 

"  But,"  I  continued,  "  the  particular  mollusc  which 
secretes  the  pearl  is  the  pearl-oyster,  the  Meleagriiia  mar- 
garitifera,  that  precious  pintadine.  The  pearl  is  nothing 
but  a  nacreous  formation,  deposited  in  a  globular  form, 
cither  adhering  to  the  oyster-shell,  or  buried  in  the  folds 
of  the  creature.  On  the  shell  it  is  fast;  in  the  flesh  it  is 
loose;  but  always  has  for  a  kernel  a  small,  hard  substance, 
may  be  a  barren  egg,  may  be  a  grain  of  sand,  around 
which  the  pearly  matter  deposits  itself  year  after  year  suc- 
cessively, and  by  thin  concentric  layers." 

"  Are  many  pearls  found  in  the  same  oyster?"  asked 
Conseil. 

"  Yes,  my  boy.  There  are  some  pintadines  a  perfect 
casket.  One  oyster  has  been  mentioned,  though  I  allow 
myself  to  doubt  it,  as  having  contained  no  less  than  a 
hundred  and  fifty  sharks." 

"A  hundred  and  fifty  sharks!"  exclaimed  Ned  Land. 

"  Did  I  say  sharks?"  said  I  hurriedly.  "  I  meant  to 
say  a  hundred  and  fifty  pearls.  Sharks  would  not  be 
sense." 

''Certainly  not,"  said  Conseil,  "but  will  you  tell  us 
now  by  what  means  they  extract  these  pearls?' 

"  They  proceed  in  various  ways.  When  they  adhere  to 
the  shell,  the  fishermen  often  pull  them  off  with  pincers; 
but  the  most  common  way  is  to  lay  the  pintadines  on  mats 
of  the  sea-weed  which  cover  the  banks.  Thus  they  die 
in  the  open  air;  and  at  the  end  of  ten  days  they  are  in  a 
forward  state  of  decomposition.  They  are  then  plunged 
into  large  reservoirs  of  sea-water;  then  they  are  opened 
and  waslied.  Now  begins  the  double  work  of  the  sorters. 
First  they  separate  the  layers  of  pearl,  known  in  com- 
merce by  the  name  of  bastard  whites  and  bastard  blacks, 
which  are  delivered  in  boxes  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  and 


148  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

three  hundred  pounds  each.  Then  they  take  the  parency- 
ma  of  the  oyster,  boil  it,  and  pass  it  through  a  sieve  in 
order  to  extract  the  very  smallest  pearls." 

"  The  price  of  these  pearls  varies  accordingly  to  their 
size?"  asked  Conseil. 

*' Not  only  according  to  their  size,"  I  answered,  "but 
also  according  to  their  shape,  their  water  (that  is,  their 
color),  and  their  luster;  that  is,  that  bright  and  diapered 
sparkle  which  makes  them  so  cnarming  to  the  eye.  The 
most  beautiful  are  called  virgin-})earl8  or  paragons.  They 
are  formed  alone  in  the  tissue  of  the  mollusc,  are  white, 
often  opaque,  and  sometimes  have  the  transparency  of  an 
opal;  they  are  generally  round  or  oval.  The  round  are 
made  into  bracelets;  the  oval  into  pendants;  and,  being 
more  ])recious,  are  sold  singly.  Those  adhering  to  the 
shell  of  the  oyster  are  more  irregular  in  shape,  and  are 
sold  by  weight.  Lastly,  in  a  lower  order  are  classed  those 
small  pearls  known  under  the  name  of  seed-pearls;  they 
are  sold  by  measure,  and  are  especially  used  in  embroidery 
for  church  ornaments." 

"  But,"  said  Conseil,  ''is  this  pearl-fishery  dangerous?" 

"No,"  I  answered,  quickly;  "particularly  if  certain 
precautions  are  taken." 

"  What  does  one  risk  in  such  a  calling?"  said  Ned  Land; 
"  the  swallowing  of  some  mouthfuls  of  sea-water?" 

"  As  you  say,  Ned.  By  the  bye,"  said  I,  trying  to  take 
Captain  Nemo's  careless  tone,  "are  you  afraid  of  sharks, 
brave  Ned?" 

"I!"  replied  the  Canadian,  "a  harpooner  by  profes- 
sion? It  is  my  trade  to  make  light  of  them." 

"But,"  said  I,  "it  is  not  a  question  of  fishing  for 
them  with  an  iron  swivel,  hoisting  them  into  the  vessel, 
cutting  off  their  tails  with  the  blow  of  a  chopper,  ripping 
them  up,  and  throwing  their  hearts  into  the  seal" 

''  Then  it  is  a  question  of " 

"  Precisely." 

"  In  the  water?" 

*'  In  the  water." 

"Faith,  with  a  good  harpoon!  You  know,  sir,  these 
sharks  are  ill-fashioned  beasts.  They  must  turn  on  their 
bellies  to  seize  you,  and  in  that  time " 

Ned  Land  had  a  way  ot  saying  "  seize  "  which  made 
mv  blood  run  cold. 


30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS,  149 

*'  Well,  and  you,  Conseil,  what  do  you  think  of  sharks?" 
"Me!"  said  Conseil.     *a  will  be  frank,  sir." 
"  So  much  the  better,"  thought  I. 
"  If  you,  sir,  mean  to  face  the  sharks,  I  do  not  see  why 
your  faithful  servant  should  not  face  them  with  you." 


CHAPTER  III. 

A  PEARL  OF  TEN  MILLIONS. 

The  n^ext  morning  at  four  o'clock  I  was  awakened  by 
the  steward,  whom  Captain  Nemo  had  placed  at  my  serv- 
ice.    I  rose  hurriedly,  dressed,  and  went  into  the  saloon. 

Captain  Nemo  was  awaiting  me. 

**  M.  Aronnax,"  said  he,  "  are  you  ready  to  start?" 

"  I  am  ready."   . 

"  Then,  please  to  follow  me." 

"And  my  companions.  Captain?" 

*'  Tliey  have  been  told,  and  are  waiting." 

"Are  we  not  to  put  on  our  diver's  dresses?"  asked  I. 

•'  Not  yet.  I  have  not  allowed  the  Nautilus  to  come 
too  near  this  coast,  and  we  are  some  distance  from  the 
Manaar  Bank;  but  the  boat  is  ready,  and  will  take  us  to 
the  exact  point  of  disembarking,  which  will  save  us  along 
way.  It  carries  our  diving  apparatus,  which  we  will  put 
on  when  we  begin  our  submarine  journey." 

Captain  Nemo  conducted  me  to  the  central  staircase, 
which  led  on  to  the  platform.  Ned  and  Conseil  were 
already  there,  deliglited  at  the  idea  of  the  "pleasure 
party  "  which  was  preparing.  Five  sailors  from  the  Nau- 
tilus, with  their  oars,  waited  in  the  boat,  which  had  been 
made  fast  against  the  side. 

The  night  was  still  dark.  Layers  of  clouds  covered  the 
sky,  allowing  but  few  stars  to  be  seen.  I  looked  on  the 
side  where  the  land  lay,  and  saw  nothing  but  a  dark  line 
inclosing  three  parts  of  the  horizon,  from  southwest  to 
northwest.  The  Nautilus,  having  returned  during  the 
night  up  the  western  coast  of  Ceylon,  was  now  west  of  the 
bay,  or  rather  gulf,  formed  by  the  mainland  and  the  island 
of  Manaar.     There,  under  the  dark  waters,  stretched  the 

f)intadine  bank,  and  an  inexhaustible  field  of  pearls,  the 
ength  of  which  is  more  than  twenty  miles. 


150  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

Captain  Nemo,  Ned  Land,  Conseil,  and  I,  took  our 
places  in  tlie  stern  of  the  boat.  The  master  went  to  the 
tiller;  his  four  companions  leaned  on  their  oars^  the  painter 
was  cast  off,  and  we  sheered  off. 

The  boat  went  to  toward  the  south;  the  oarsmen  did 
not  hurry.  1  noticed  that  their  strokes,  strong  in  the 
water,  only  followed  each  other  every  ten  seconds,  accord- 
ing to  the  metiiod  generally  adopted  in  the  navy.  Whilst 
the  crafc  was  running  by  its  own  velocity,  liquid  drops 
struck  the  dark  depths  of  the  waves,  the  crisply,  like  spots  ^ 
of  melted  lead.  A  little  billow,  spreading  wide,  gave  a 
slight  roll  to  the  boat  and  some  samphire  reeds  flapped 
before  it. 

We  were  silent.  What  was  Captain  Nemo  thinking  of? 
Perhaps  of  the  land  he  was  approaching,  and  which  he 
found  too  near  to  him,  contriry  to  the  Canadian's  opinion, 
who  thought  it  too  far  off.  As  to  Conseil,  he  was  merely 
there  from  curiosity. 

About  half-past  five,  the  first  tints  on  the  horizon 
showed  the  upper  line  of  coast  more  distinctly.  Flat 
enough  in  the  east,  it  rose  a  little  to  the  south.  Five 
miles  still  lay  between  us,  and  it  was  indistinct,  owing  to 
the  mist  on  the  water.  At  six  o'clock  it  became  suddenly 
daylight  with  that  rapidity  peculiar  to  tropical  regions, 
which  know  neither  dawn  nor  twilight.  The  solar  rays 
pierced  the  curtain  of  clouds  piled  upon  the  eastern 
horizon,  and  the  radiant  orb  rose  rapidly.  I  saw  land 
distinctly,  with  a  few  trees  scattered  here  and  there.  The 
boat  neared  Manaar  Island,  which  was  rounded  to  the 
south.  Captain  Nemo  rose  from  his  seat  and  watched  the 
sea. 

At  a  sign  from  him  the  anchor  was  dropped,  but  the 
chain  scarcely  ran,  for  it  was  little  more  than  a  vard 
deep,  and  this  spot  was  one  of  the  highest  points  of  the 
bank  of  pintadines. 

"Here  we  are,  M.  Aronnax,"  said  Captain  Nemo. 
*'  You  see  that  inclosed  bay?  Here,  in  a  month,  will  be 
assembled  the  numerous  fishing-boats  of  Jthe  exporters, 
and  these  are  the  waters  their  divei's  will  ransack  so  boldly. 
Happily,  this  bay  is  well  situated  for  that  kind  of  fish- 
ing. It  is  sheltered  from  the  strongest  winds;  the  sea  is 
jiever  very  rough  here,  which  iiiakes  U  favorable  for  the 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  151 

diver's  work.  We  will  now  put  on  our  dresses,  and  begin 
our  walk." 

I  did  not  answer,  and  while  watching  the  unsuspected 
waves  began  with  the  help  of  the  sailors  to  put  on  my 
heavy  sea-dress.  Captain  Nemo  and  my  companions  were 
also  dressing.  None  of  the  Nautilus'  men  were  to  accom- 
pany us  on  this  new  excursion. 

Soon  we  were  enveloped  to  the  throat  in  india-rubber 
clothing;  the  air  apparatus  fixed  to  our  backs  by  braces. 
As  to  tlie  Euhmkortf  apparatus,  there  was  no  necessity  for 
it.  Before  putting  my  head  into  the  copper  cap,  I  had 
asked  the  question  of  the  captain. 

"  They  would  be  useless,"  he  replied.  *'  We  are  going 
to  no  great  depth,  and  the  solar  ray  will  be  enough  to  light 
our  walk.  Besides,  it  would  not  be  prudent  to  carry  the 
electric  light  in  these  waters;  its  brilliancy  might  attract 
some  of  the  dangerous  inhabitants  of  the  Coast  most  inop- 
portunely." 

As  Captain  Nemo  pronounced  these  words,  I  turned  to 
Conseil  and  Ned  Land.  But  my  two  friends  had  already 
incased  their  heads  in  the  metal  caps,  and  they  could 
neither  hear  nor  answer. 

One  last  question  remained  to  ask  of  Captain  Nemo. 

*'  And  our  arms?"  asked  I;  "  our  guns?" 

**Guns!  what  for?  Do  not  mountaineers  attack  the 
bear  with  daggers  in  their  hand,  and  is  not  steel  surer  than 
lead?  Here  is  a  strong  blade;  put  it  in  your  belt,  and  we 
start." 

I  looked  at  my  companions;  they  were  armed  like  us, 
and  more  than  that,  Ned  Land  was  brandishing  an  enor- 
mous harpoon,  which  he  had  placed  in  the  boat  before 
leaving  the  Nautilus. 

Then,  following  the  Captain's  example,  I  allowed  myself 
to  be  dressed  in  the  heavy  copper  helmet,  and  our  reser- 
voirs of  air  were  at  onee  in  activity.  An  instant  after,  we 
were  landed,  one  after  the  other,  in  about  two  feet  of 
water,  upon  an  even  sand.  Captain  Nemo  made  a  sign 
with  his  hand,  and  we  followed  him  by  a  gentle  declivity 
till  we  disappeared  under  the  waves. 

Over  our  feet,  like  coveys  of  snipe  in  a  bog,  rose  shoals 
of  fish,  of  the  genus  monoptera,  which  have  no  other  fins 
but  their  tail.  I  recognized  the  Javanese,  a  real  serpent^ 
two  and  a  half  feet  long,  of  a  livid  color  underneath,  und. 


152  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

wliich  might  easily  be  mistaken  for  a  cougar  eel  if  it  was 
not  for  the  golden  stripes  on  its  sides.  In  the  genus  stro- 
mateus,  whose  bodies  are  very  flat  and  oval,  I  saw  some  of 
the  most  brilliant  colors,  carrying  their  dorsal  fin  like  a 
scythe;  an  excellent  eating  fish,  which,  dried  and  pickled, 
is  known  by  the  name  of  Karaioade;  then  some  tranque- 
bars,  belonging  to  the  genus  apsiplioroides,  whose  body  is 
covered  with  a  shell  cuirass  of  eight  longitudinal  plates. 

The  heightening  sun  lit  the  mass  of  waters  more  and 
more.  The  soil  changed  by  degrees.  To  the  fine  sand 
succeeded  a  perfect  causeway  of  bowlders,  covered  with  a 
carpet  of  mollusks  and  zoophytes.  Amongst  the  speci- 
mens of  these  branches  I  noticed  some  placense,  with  thin, 
unequal  shells,  a  kind  of  ostracion  peculiar  to  the  Ked 
Sea  and  the  Indian  Ocean;  some  orange  lucinae  with 
rounded  shells;  rock-fish  three  feet  and  a  half  long,  which 
raised  themselves  under  the  waves  like  hands  ready  to 
seize  one.  There  were  also  some  panopyres,  slightly  lumi- 
nous; and  lastly,  some  oculines,  like  magnificent  fans, 
forming  one  of  the  richest  vegetations  of  these  seas. 

In  the  midst  of  these  living  plants,  and  under  the  arbors 
of  the  hydrophytes,  were  layers  of  clumsy  articulates,  par- 
ticularly some  raninae,  whose  carapace  formed  a  slightly 
rounded  triangle;  and  sbme  horrible-looking  parthenopes. 

At  about  seven  o'clock  we  found  ourselves  at  last  survey- 
ing the  oyster  banks,  on  which  the  pearl-oysters  are  re- 
produced by  millions. 

Captain  Nemo  pointed  with  his  hand  to  the  enormous 
heap  of  oysters;  and  I  could  well  understand  that  this 
mine  was  inexhaustible,  for  nature's  creative  power  is  far 
beyond  man's  instinct  of  destruction.  Ned  Land,  faith- 
ful to  his  instincts,  hastened  to  fill  a  net  which  he  carried 
by  his  side  with  some  of  the  finest  specimens.  But  we 
could  not  stop.  *  We  must  follow  the  captain,  who  seemed 
to  guide  himself  by  paths  known  only  to  himself.  The 
ground  was  sensibly  rising,  and  sometimes,  on  holding  up 
my  arm,  it  was  above  the  surface  of  the  sea.  Then  the 
level  of  the  bank  would  sink  capriciously.  Often  we 
rounded  high  rocks  scarped  into  pyramids.  In  their  dark 
fractures  huge  Crustacea,  perched  upon  their  high  claws 
like  some  war-machine,  watched  us  with  fixed  eyes,  and 
under  our  feet  crawled  various  kinds  of  annelides. 

At  this  moment  there  opened  before  us  a  large  grotto, 


30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  153 

Aug  in  a  picturesque  heap  of  rocks,  and  carpeted  with  all 
the  thick  warp  of  the  submarine  flora.  At  first  it  seemed 
very  dark  to  me.  The  sohir  rajs  seemed  to  be  extinguished 
by  successive  gradations,  until  its  vague  transparency 
became  nothing  more  than  drowned  light.  Capfain  Nemo 
entered;  we  followed.  My  eyes  soon  accustomed  them- 
selves to  this  relative  state  of  darkness.  I  could  dis- 
tinguish the  ai'ches  springing  capriciously  from  natural 
pillars,  standing  broad  upon  their  granite  base,  like  the 
heavy  columns  of  Tuscan  architecture.  Why  had'  our 
incomprehensible  guide  led  us  to  the  bottom  of  this  sub- 
marine crypt?  I  was  soon  to  know.  After  descending  a 
rather  sharp  declivity,  our  feet  .trod  the  bottom  of  a  kind 
of  circular  pit.  There  Captain  Nemo  stopped,  and  with 
his  hand  indicated  an  object  I  had  not  yet  perceived.  It 
was  an  oyster  of  extraordinai'y  dimensions,  a  gigantic 
tridacne,  a  goblet  which  could  have  contained  a  whole 
lake  of  holy  water,  a  basin  the  breadth  of  which  was  more 
than  two  yards  and  a  half,  and  consequently  larger  than 
tliat  ornamenting  the  saloon  of  the  Nautilus.  I  ap- 
proached this  extraordinary  mollusk.  It  adhered  by  its 
byssus  to  a  table  of  granite,  and  there,  isolated,  it  de- 
veloped itself  in  the  calm  waters  of  the  grotto.  I  esti- 
mated the  weight  of  this  tridacne  at  600  pounds.  Such 
an  oyster  would  contain  thirty  pounds  of  meat;  and  one 
must  have  the  stomach  of  a  Gargantua  to  demolish  some 
dozens  of  them. 

Captain  Nemo  was  evidently  acquainted  with  the  exist- 
ence of  this  bivalve,  and  seemed  to  have  a  particular 
motive  in  verifying  the  actual  state  of  this  tridacne.  The 
shells  were  a  little  open;  the  captain  came  near,  and  put 
liis  dagger  between  tliem  to  prevent  them  from  closing; 
then  with  his  hand  he  raised  the  membrane  with  its 
fringed  edges,  which  formed  a  cloak  for  the  creature. 
There,  between  the  folded  plaits,  I  saw  a  loose  pearl, 
whose  size  equaled  that  of  a  cocoanut.  Its  globular 
shape,  perfect  clearness,  and  admirable  luster,  made  it 
altogether  a  jewel  of  inestimable  value.  Carried  away  by 
my  curiosity  I  stretched  out  my  hand  to  seize  it,  weigh  it, 
and  touch  it;  but  the  captain  stopped  me,  made  a  sign  o£ 
refusal,  and  quiokly  withdrew  his  dagger,  and  the  two 
shells  closed  suddenly.  I  then  understood  Captain  Nemo's 
intention.     In  leaving  this  pearl  hidden  in  the  mantle  of 


154  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

the  tridacne,  he  was  allowing  it  to  grow  slowly.  Each 
year  the  secretions  of  the  mollusk  would  add  new  concen- 
tric circles.     I  estimated  its  value  at  £500,000  at  least. 

After  ten  minutes  Captain  Nemo  stopped  suddenly.  I 
thought  he  had  halted  previously  to  returning.  No;  by  a 
gesture  he  bade  us  crouch  beside  him  in  a  deep  fracture  of 
the  rock,  his  hand  pointed  to  one  part  of  the  liquid  mass, 
which  I  watched  attentively. 

About  five  yards  from  me  a  shadow  appeared,  and  sank 
to  the  ground.  The  disquieting  idea  of  sharks  shot 
through  my  mind,  but  I  was  mistaken;  and  once  again  it 
was  not  a  monster  of  the  ocean  that  we  had  anything  to 
do  with. 

It  was  a  man,  a  living  man,  an  Indian,  a  fisherman,  a 
poor  devil,  who,  I  suppose,  had  come  to  glean  before  the 
harvest.  I  could  see  the  bottom  of  his  canoe  anchored 
some  feet  above  his  head.  He  dived  and  went  up  succes- 
sively. A  stone  held  between  his  feet,  cut  in  the  shape  of 
u  sugar-loaf,  whilst  a  rope  fastened  him  to  his  boat,  helped 
him  to  descend  more  rapidly.  This  was  all  his  apparatus. 
Reaching  the  bottom  about  five  yards  deep,  he  went  on  his 
knees  and  filled  his  bag  with  oysters  picked  up  at  random,, 
Then  he  went  up,  emptied  it,  pulled  up  his  stone,  and  be- 
gan the  operation  once  more,  which  lasted  thirty  seconds., 

The  diver  did  not  see  us.  The  shadow  of  the  rock  hid 
us  from  sight.  And  how  should  this  poor  Indian  ever 
dream  that  men,  beings  like  himself,  should  be  there  un- 
der the  water  watching  his  movements,  and  losing  no  de- 
taij  of  the  fishing?  Several  times  he  went  up  in  this  way, 
and  dived  again.  He  did  not  carry  away  more  than  ten  at 
each  plunge,  for  he  was  obliged  to  pull  them  from  the 
bank  to  which  they  adhered  by  means  of  their  strong  bys- 
sus.  And  how  many  of  those  oysters  for  which  he  risked 
his  life  had  no  pearl  in  them!  I  watched  him  closely;  his 
maneuvers  were  regular,  and,  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour, 
no  danger  appeared  to  threaten  him. 

I  was  beginning  to  accustom  myself  to  the  sight  of  thia 
interesting  fishing,  when  suddenly,  as  the  Indian  was  on 
the  ground,  I  saw  him  make  a  gesture  of  terror,  rise,  and 
make  a  spring  to  return  to  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

I  understood  his  dread.  A  gigantic  shadow  appeared 
just  above  the  unfortunate  diver.  It  was  a  shark  of 
enormous  size  advancing  diagonally,  his  eyes  on  fire,  and 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  155 

his  jaws  open.  I  was  mute  with  horror,  and  unable  to 
move. 

The  voracious  creature  shot  toward  the  Indian,  who 
threw  himself  on  one  side  in  order  to  avoid  the  shark's 
fins;  but  not  its  tail,  for  it  struck  his  chest,  and  stretched 
him  on  the  ground. 

This  scene  lusted  but  a  few  seconds  ;  the  shark  returned, 
aud,  turning  on  his  back,  prepared  himself  for  cutting 
the  Indian  in  two,  when  I  saw  Captain  Nemo  rise  sud- 
denly, and  then,  dagger  in  hand,  walk  straight  to  the  mon- 
stei',  ready  to  light  face  to  face  with  him.  The  very 
moment  the  shark  was  going  to  snap  the  unhappy  fisher- 
man in  two,  he  perceived  his  new  adversary,  and  turning 
over,  made  straight  toward  him. 

I  can  still  see  Captain  Nemo's  position.  Holding  him- 
self well  together,  he  waited  for  the  shark  with  admirable 
coolness ;  and  when  it  rushed  at  him,  threw  himself  on 
one  side  with  wonderful  quickness,  avoiding  the  shock, 
and  burying  his  dagger  deep  into  its  side. 

But  it  was  not  all  over.     A  terrible  combat  ensued. 

The  shark  had  seemed  to  roar,  if  I  might  say  so.  The 
blood  rushed  in  torrents  frOm  its  wounds.  The  sea  was 
dyed  red,  and  through  the  opaque  liquid  I  could  distin- 
guish nothing  more.  Nothing  more  until  the  moment 
when,  like  lightning,  I  saw  the  undaunted  captain  hang- 
ing on  to  one  of  the  creature's  fins,  struggling,  as  it  were, 
hand  to  hand  with  the  monster,  and  dealing  successive 
blows  at  his  enemy,  yet  still  unable  to  give  a  decisive 
one 

The  shark's  struggles  agitated  the  water  with  such  fury 
that  the  rocking  threatened  to  upset  me. 

I  wanted  to  go  to  the  captain's  assistance,  but,  nailed 
to  the  spot  with  horror,  I  could  not  stir. 

I  saw  the  haggard  eye:  I  saw  the  different  phases  of  the 
fight.  The  captain  fell  to  the  earth,  upset  by  the  enor- 
mous mass  which  leant  upon  him.  The  shark's  jaws 
opened  wide,  like  a  pair  of  factory  shears,  and  it  would 
have  been  all  over  with  the  captain;  but,  quick  as  thought, 
harpoon  in  hand,  Ned  Laud  rushed  toward  the  shark  and 
struck  it  with  its  sharp  point. 

The  waves  were  impregnated  with  a  mass  of  blood. 
They  rocked  under  the  shark's  movements,  which  beat 
them  with  indescribable  fury.     Ned  Land  had  not  missed 


158  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS." 

his  aim.  It  was  the  monster's  death-rattle.  Struck  to 
the  heart,  it  struggled  in  dreadful  convulsions,  the  shock 
of  which  overthrew  Conseil. 

But  Ned  Land  had  disentangled  the  captain,  who,  get- 
ting up  without  any  wound,  went  straight  to  the  Indian, 
quickly  cut  the  cord  which  held  him  to  the  stone,  took 
liim  in  his  arms,  and,  with  a  sharp  blow  of  his  heel, 
mounted  to  the  surface. 

We  all  three  followed  in  a  few  seconds,  saved  Jby  a 
miracle,  and  reached  the  fisherman's  boat. 

Captain  Nemo's  first  care  was  to  recall  the  unfortunate 
man  to  life  again.  I  did  not  think  he  could  succeed.  I 
hoped  so,  for  the  poor  creature's  immersion  was  not  long; 
but  the  blow  from  the  shark's  tail  might  have  been  his 
death-blow. 

Happily,  with  the  captain's  and  Conseil's  sharp  friction, 
I  saw  consciousness  return  by  degrees.  He  opened  his 
eyes.  What  was  his  surprise,  his  terror  even,  at  seeing 
four  great  copper  heads  leaning  over  him!  And  above  all, 
what  must  he  have  thought  when  Captain  Nemo,  draw- 
ing from  the  pocket  of  his  dress  a  bag  of  pearls,  placed  it 
in  his  hand!  This  munificent  charity  from  the  man  of 
the  waters  to  the  poor  Cingalese  was  accepted  with  a 
trembling  hand.  His  wonderful  eyes  showed  that  he  knew 
not  to  what  superhuman  beings  he  owed  both  fortune 
and  life. 

At  a  sign  from  the  captain  we  regained  the  bank,  and 
following  the  road  already  traversed,  came,  in  about  half 
an  hour,  to  the  anchor  which  held  the  canoe  of  the  Nau- 
tilus to  the  earth. 

Once  on  board,  we  each,  with  the  help  of  the  sailors, 
got  rid  of  the  heavy  copper  helmet. 

Captain  Nemo's  first  word  was  to  the  Canadian. 

"Thank  you,  Master  Land,"  said  he. 

"  It  was  in  revenge.  Captain,"  replied  Ned  Laud.  *'I 
owed  you  that." 

A  ghastly  smile  passed  across  the  Captain's  lips,  and 
that  was  all. 

"  To  the  Nautilus,"  said  he. 

The  boat  flew  over  the  waves.  Some  minutes  after,  we 
met  the  shark's  dead  body  floating.  By  the  black  mark- 
ing of  the  extremity  of  its  fins,  I  recognized  the  terrible 
melanopteron  of  the  Indian  Seas  of  the  species  of  shark 


20,000    LEAGUES    tJNDEK    THK    JSEAS.  lo? 

properly  so  called.  It  was  more  than  twenty-jBve  feet 
long;  its  enormous  mouth  occupied  cue-third  of  its  body. 
Ir,  was  an  adult,  as  was  known  by  its  six  rows  of  teeth 
placed  in  an  isosceles  triangle  in  the  upper  jaw. 

Conseil  looked  at  it  with  scientific  interest,  and  I  am 
enre  that  he  placed  it,  and  not  without  reason,  in  the  car- 
tilaginous class,  of  the  chondropterygian  order,  with  fixed 
gills,  of  the  selacian  family,  in  the  genus  of  the  sharks. 

Whilst  I  was  contemplating  tnis  inert  mass,  a  dozen  of 
these  voracious  beasts  appeared  round  the  boat,  and  with- 
out jioticing  us,  threw  themselves  upon  the  dead  body  and 
fought  with  one  another  for  the  pieces. 

At  half-past  eight  we  were  again  on  board  the  Nautilus. 
There  I  reflected  on  the  incidents  tvhich  had  taken  placa 
in  our  excursion  to  the  Manaar  Bank. 

Two  conclusions  I  must  inevitably  draw  from  it — one 
bearing  upon  the  unparalleled  courage  of  Captain  Nemo, 
the  other  upon  his  devotion  to  a  human  being,  a  repre- 
sentative of  that  race  from  which  he  fled  beneath  the  seas. 
\Yhatever  he  might  say,  this  strange  man  had  not  yet  suc- 
ceeded in  entirely  crushing  his  heart. 

When  I  made  this  observation  to  him,  he  answered  in  a 
slightly  moved  tone: 

"  That  Indian,  sir,  is  an  inhabitant  of  an  oppressed 
country;  and  I  am  still,  and  shall  be,  to  my  last  breath, 
a  friend  of  them!" 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE     BED     SEA. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  of  the  29th  of  January,  the 
Island  of  Ceylon  disappeared  under  the  horizon,  and  the 
Nautilus,  at  a  speed  of  twenty  miles  an  hour,  slid  into  the 
labyrinth  of  canals  which  separate  the  Maldives  from  the 
Laccadives.  It  coasted  even  the  Island  of  Kiltau,  a  land 
originally  madreporic,  discovered  by  Vasco  de  G-ama  in 
1499,  and  one  of  the  nineteen  principal  islands  of  the  Lac- 
cadi  ve  Archipelago  situated  between  10°  and  14"  30'  north 
latitude,  and  69"  50'  72**,  east  longitude. 

We  had  made  16,220  miles,  or  7,500  (French)  leagues 
from  our  starting-point  in  the  Japanese  Seas. 

The  next  day  (30th  January),  when  the  Nautilus  went 


158  20,000  lb;agues  under  the  seas. 

to  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  there  was  no  land  in  sight. 
Its  course  was  N.N.E.,  in  the  direction  of  the  Sea  of 
Oman,  between  Arabia  and  the  Indian  Peninsuhi,  which 
serves  as  an  outlet  to  the  Persian  Gulf.  It  was  evidently  a 
block  without  any  possible  egress.  Where  was  Captain 
Nemo  taking  us  to?  I  could  not  say.  This,  however,  did 
not  satisfy  the  Canadian,  who  that  day  came  to  me  asking 
where  we  were  going. 

"  We  are  going  where  our  Captain's  fancy  takes  us, 
Master  Ned." 

"  His  fancy  cannot  take  us  far,  then,''  said  the  Canadian, 
"  The  Persian  Grulf  has  no  outlet;  and  if  we  do  go  in,  it 
will  not  be  long  before  we  are  out  again." 

'*  Very  well,  then,  we  will  come  out  again,  Master  Land; 
and  if  after  the  Persian  Gulf  the  Nautilus  would  like  to 
visit  the  Red  Sea,  the  Straits  of  Bab-el-mandeb  are  there 
to  give  us  entrance." 

"I  need  not  tell  you,  sir,"  said  Ned  Land,  "that  the 
Red  Sea  is  as  much  closed  as  the  Gulf,  as  the  Isthmus  of 
Suez  is  not  yet  cut;  and  if  it  was,  a  boat  as  mysterious  as 
ours  would  not  risk  itself  in  a  canal  cut  with  sluices.  And 
again,  the  Red  Sea  is  not  the  road  to  take  us  back  to 
Europe." 

"  But  I  never  said  we  were  going  back  to  Europe.'* 

**  What  do  you  suppose,  the-n?" 

"  I  suppose  that,  after  visiting  the  curious  coasts  of 
Arabia  and  Egypt,  the  Nautilus  will  go  down  the  Indian 
Ocean  again,  perhaps  cross  the  Channel  of  Mozambique, 
perhaps  off  the  Mascarenhas,  so  as  to  gain  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope." 

"  And  once  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope?"  asked  the 
Canadian,  with  peculiar  emphasis. 

"  Well,  we  shall  penetrate  into  that  Atlantic  which  we 
do  not  yet  know!  Ah!  friend  Ned,  you  are  getting  tired 
of  this  journey  under  the  sea;  you  are  surfeited  with  the 
incessantly  varying  spectacle  of  submarine  wonders.  For 
my  part  I  shall  be  sorry  to  see  the  end  of  a  voyage  which 
it  is  given  to  so  few  men  to  make." 

For  four  days,  till  the  end  of  February,  the  Nautilus 
scoured  the  Sea  of  Oman,  at  various  speeds  and  at  various 
depths.  It  seemed  to  go  at  random,  as  if  hesitating  as  to 
which  road  it  should  follow,  but  we  never  passed  tha 
Tropic  of  Cancer. 


20,000    LEAGUES     UNDER    THE    SEAS.  159 

In  quitting  this  sea  we  sighted  Muscat  for  an  instant, 
one  of  the  most  impoi'tant  towns  of  the  country  of  Oman. 
I  admired  its  strange  aspect,  surrounded  by  black  rocks 
upon  which  its  white  houses  and  forts  stood  in  relief.  I 
gaw  the  rounded  domes  of  its  mosques,  the  elegant  points 
of  its  minarets,  its  fresh  and  verdant  terraces.  But  it 
vas  only  a  vision!  the  Nautilus  soon  sank  under  the  waves 
of  that  part  of  the  sea. 

We  passed  along  the  Arabian  coast  of  Mahrah  and  Had- 
ramaut,  for  a  distance  of  six  miles,  its  undulating  lino  of 
mountains  being  occasionally  relieved  by  some  ancient 
ruin.  The  5th  of  February  we  at  last  entered  the  Gulf  of 
Aden,  a  perfect  funnel  introduced  into  the  neck  of  Bab- 
el-mandeb,  through  which  the  Indian  waters  entered  the 
Red  Sea. 

The  6th  of  February,  the  Nautilus  floated  in  sight  of 
Aden,  perched  upon  a  promontory  which  a  narrow  isthmus 
joins  to  the  mainland,  a  kind  of  inaccessible  Gibraltar, 
the  fortifications  of  which  were  rebuilt  by  the  English 
after  taking  possession  in  1837.  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  the 
octagon  minarets  of  this  town,  which  was  at  one  time, 
according  to  tlie  historian,  Edrisi,  the  richest  commercial 
magazine  on  the  coast 

I  certainly  thought  that  Captain  Nemo,  arrived  at  this 
})oint,  would  back  out  again;  but  I  was  mistaken,  for  he 
did  no  such  thing,  much  to  my  surprise. 

The  next  day,  the  7th  of  February,  we  entered  the 
Straits  of  Bab-el-mandeb,  the  name  of  which  in  the  Arab 
tongue,  means  "the  gate  of  tears." 

To  twenty  miles  in  breadth,  it  is  only  thirty-two  in 
Jength.  And  for  the  Nautilus,  starting  at  full  sj)eed,  the 
crossing  was  scarcely  the  work  of  an  hour.  But  I  saw  not 
even  the  island  of  Perim,  with  which  the  British  govern- 
ment has  fortified  the  position  of  Aden.  There  were  too 
many  English  or  French  steamers  of  the  line  of  Suez  to 
Bombay,  Calcutta  to  Melbourne,  and  from  Bourbon  to  tiie 
Mauritius,  furrowing  this  narrow  passage  for  the  Nautilus 
to  venture  to  show  itself.  So  it  remained  prudently  be- 
)ow.  At  last,  about  noon,  we  were  in  the  waters  of  the 
Red  Sea. 

I  would  not  even  seek  to  understand  the  caprice  which 
had  decided  Captain  Nemo  upon  entering  the  gulf.  But 
I  quite  approved  of  the  Nautilus  entering  it.     Ita  speed 


160  20,000    LBAQUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

was  lessened;  sometimes  it  kept  on  the  surface,  sometimee 
it  dived  to  avoid  a  vessel,  and  thus  I  was  able  to  observe 
the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  this  curious  sea. 

The  7th  of  February,  from  the  first  dawn  of  day,  Mocha 
came  in  sight,  now  a  ruined  town,  whose  walls  would  fall 
at  a  gunshot,  yet  which  shelters  here  and  there  some  ver- 
dant date-trees;  once  an  important  city,  containing  six 
])ublic  markets,  and  twenty-six  mosques,  and  whose  walls, 
defended  by  fourteen  forts,  formed  a  girdle  of  two  miles 
in  circumference. 

The  Nautilus  then  approached  the  African  shore,  where 
the  depth  of  the  sea  was  greater.  There,  between  two 
waters  clear  as  crystal,  through  the  open  panels  we  were 
allowed  to  contemplate  the  beautiful'  bushes  of  brilliant 
coral,  and  large  blocks  of  rock  clothed  with  a  splendid  fur 
of  green  algae  and  fuci.  What  an  indescribable  spectacle, 
and  what  variety  of  sights  and  landscapes,  along  these 
sand-banks  and  volcanic  islands  which  bound  the  Libyan 
coast?  But  where  these  shrubs  appeared  in  all  their 
beauty  is  on  the  eastern  coast,  which  the  Kautilus  soon 
gained.  It  was  on  the  coast  of  Tehama,  for  there  not  only 
did  this  display  of  zoophytes  flourish  beneath  the  level  of 
the  sea,  but  they  also  formed  picturesque  interlacings 
which  unfolded  themselves  about  sixty  feet  above  the  sur- 
face, more  capricious  but  less  highly  colored  than  those 
whose  freshness  was  kept  up  by  the  vital  power  of  the 
waters. 

What  charming  hours  I  passed  thus  at  the  window  of 
the  saloon!  What  new  specimens  of  submarine  flora  and 
fauna  did  I  admire  under  the  brightness  of  our  electric 
lantern! 

There  grew  sponges  of  all  shapes,  pediculated,  foliated, 
globular,  and  digital.  They  certainly  justified  the  names 
of  baskets,  cuj)s,  distaffs,  elk's-horns,  lion's-feet,  peacock's- 
lails,  and  Neptune's-gloves,  which  have  been  given  to  them 
by  the  fishermen,  greater  poets  than  the  savants. 

Other  zoopliytes  which  multiply  near  the  sponges  consist 
principally  of  medusas  of  a  most  elegant  kind.  The 
molluscs  "ivere  represented  by  varieties  of  the  calmar  (which, 
according  to  Orbigny,  are  peculiar  to  the  Red  Sea):  and 
reptiles  by  the  visgata  turtle,  of  the  genus  of  cheloniae, 
which  furnished  a  wholesome  and  delicate  food  for  our 
tabl9. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  ICl 

As  to  the  fish,  they  were  abundant,  and  often  remarka- 
ble. The  following  are  those  which  the  nets  of  the  Nau- 
tilus brought  more  frequently  on  board: 

Rays  of  red-brick  color,  with  bodies  marked  with  blue 
gpots,  and  easily  recognizable  by  their  double  spikes;  some 
superb  caranxes,  marked  with  seven  transverse  bands  of 
jet-black,  blue  and  yellow  fins,  and  gold  and  silver  scales; 
mullets  with  yellow  heads;  gobies,  and  a  thousand  other 
species,  common  to  the  ocean  which  we  had  just  trav- 
ersed. 

The  9th  of  February,  the  Nautilus  floated  in  the  broad- 
est pare  of  the  Red  Sea,  which  is  comprised  between 
Souakin  on  the  west  coast,  and  Koomfidah,  on  the  east 
coast,  with  a  diameter  of  ninety  miles. 

That  day  at  noon,  after  the  bearings  were  taken,  Capr 
tain  Nemo  mounted  the  platform,  where  I  happened  to 
be,  and  I  was  determined  not  to  let  him  go  down  again 
without  at  least  pressing  him  regarding  his  ulterior 
projects.  As  soon  as  he  saw  me  he  approached,  and  gra- 
ciously offered  me  a  cigar. 

"  Well,  sir,  does  this  Red  Sea  please  you?  Have  you 
suflBciently  observed  the  wonders  it  covers,  its  fishes,  its 
zoophytes,  its  parterres  of  sponges,  and  its  forests  of  coral? 
Did  you  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  towns  on  its  borders?" 

"  Yes,  Captain  Nemo,"  I  replied;  "  and  the  Nautilus  is 
wonderfully  fitted  for  such  a  study.  Ah!  it  is  an  intelli- 
gent boat!" 

"  Yes,  sir,  intelligent  and  invulnerable.  It  fears  neither 
the  terrible  tempests  of  the  Red  Sea,  nor  its  currents,  nor 
its  sand-banks."  >, 

"  Certainly,"  said  I,  "  this  sea  is  quoted  as  one  of  the 
worst,  and  in  the  time  of  the  ancients,  if  I  am  not  mis- 
taken, its  reputation  was  detestable." 

"  Detestable,  M.  Aronnax.  The  Greek  and  Latin  his- 
torians do  not  speak  favorably  of  it,  and  Strabo  says  it  is 
very  dangerous  during  the  Etesian  winds,  and  in  the  rainy 
seasons.  The  Arabian  Edrisi  portrays  it  under  the  name 
of  the  Gulf  of  Oolzoum,  and  relates  that  vessels  perished 
there  in  great  numbers  on  the  sand-banks,  and  that  no 
one  would  risk  sailing  in  the  night.  It  is,  he  pretends,  a 
sea  subject  to  fearful  hurricanes,  strewn  with  inhospitable 
islands,  and,   '  which   offers  nothing  good  either  on  its 


163  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

surface  or  in   its  depths.'     Sucli,  too,  is  the  opinion  of 
Arrian,  Agatharcides,  and  Artemidorus." 

"  One  may  see,"  I  replied,  "  that  these  historians  never 
sailed  on  board  the  Nautilus." 

"Just  so,"  replied  the  captain,  smiling,  '*and  in  that 
respect  moderns  are  not  more  advanced  than  the  ancients. 
It  required  many  ages  to  find  out  the  mechanical  power  of 
steam.  Who  knows  if,  in  another  hundred  years,  we  may 
not  see  a  second  Nautilus?  Progress  is  slow,  M.  Aronnax." 

"  It  is  true,"  I  answered;  "your  boat  is  at  least  a  cent- 
ury before  its  time,  perhaps  an  era.  What  a  misfortune 
that  the  secret  of  such  an  invention  should  die  with  its 
inventor!" 

Captain  Nemo  did  not  reply.  After  some  minutes' 
silence  he  continued: 

"  You  were  speaking  of  the  opinions  of  ancient  histo- 
rians upon  the  dangerous  navigation  of  the  Eed  Sea." 

"  It  is  true,"  said  I;  "  but  were  not  their  fears  exag- 
gerated?" 

"  Tes  and  no,  M.  Aronnax,"  replied  Captain  Nemo, 
who  seemed  to  know  the  Eed  Sea  by  heart.  "  That  which 
is  no  longer  dangerous  for  a  modern  vessel,  well  rigged, 
strongly  built,  and  master  of  its  own  course,  thanks  to 
obedient  steam,  offered  all  sorts  of  perils  to  the  ships  of 
the  ancients.  Picture  to  yourself  those  first  navigators 
venturing  in  ships  made  of  planks  sewn  with  the  cords  of 
the  palm-tree,  saturated  with  the  grease  of  the  sea-dog,  and 
covered  with  powdered  resin!  They  had  not  even  instru- 
ments wherewith  to  take  their  bearings,  and  they  went  by 
guess  amongst  currents  of  which  they  scarcely  knew 
anything.  Under  such  conditions  shipwrecks  were,  and 
must  have  been,  numerous.  But  in  our  time,  steamers 
running  between  Suez  and  the  South  Seas  have  nothing 
more  to  fear  from  the  fury  of  this  gulf,  in  spite  of  contrary 
trade-winds.  The  captain  and  passengers  do  not  prepare 
for  their  departure  by  offering  propitiatory  sacrifices;  and, 
on  their  return,  they  no  longer  go  ornamented  with  wreaths 
and  gilt  fillets  to  thank  the  gods  in  the  neighboring 
temple." 

*'  I  agree  with  you,"  said  I;  "  and  steam  seems  to  have 
killed  all  gratitude  in  the  hearts  of  sailors.  But,  Captain, 
since  you  seem  to  have  especially  studied  this  sea,  can  you 
tell  me  the  origin  of  its  name?" 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEK    THE    SEAS.  163 

"  There  exist  several  explanations  on  the  subject,  M. 
Aronnax.  "Would  you  like  to  know  the  opinion  of  a 
chronicler  of  the  fourteenth  century?" 

'*  Willingly." 

'*  This  fanciful  writer  pretends  that  its  name  was  given 
to  it  after  the  passage  of  the  Israelites,  when  Pharoah 
perished  in  the  waves  which  closed  at  the  voice  of  Moses." 

"A  poet's  explanation,  Captain  Nemo,"  I  replied;  "but 
I  cannot  content  myself  with  that.  I  ask  you  for  your 
personal  opinion." 

*'  Here  it  is,  M.  Aronnax.  According  to  my  idea  we 
must  see  in  this  appellation  of  the  Red  Sea  a  translation 
of  the  Hebrew  word  *Edom;'  and  if  the  ancients  gave  it 
that  name,  it  was  on  account  of  the  particular  color  of  its 
waters." 

"  But  up  to  this  time  I  have  seen  nothing  but  trans- 
parent waves,  and  without  any  particular  color." 

*' Very  likely;  but  as  we  advance  to  the  bottom  of  the 
gulf,  you  will  see  this  singular  appearance.  I  remember 
seeing  the  Bay  of  Tor  entirely  red,  like  a  sea  of  blood." 

"  And  you  attribute  this  color  to  the  presence  of  a 
microscopic  sea- weed?" 

'*  Yes;  it  is  a  mucilaginous  purple  matter,  produced  by 
the  restless  little  plants  known  by  the  name  of  trichodes- 
ima,  and  of  which  it  requires  40,000  to  occupy  the  space 
of  a  square  .04  of  an  inch.  Perhaps  we  shall  meet  some 
when  we  go  to  Tor." 

"So,  Captain  Nemo,  it  is  not  the  first  time  you  have 
overrun  the  Red  Sea  on  board  the  Nautilus?" 

"No,  sir." 

"  As  you  spoke  a  while  ago  of  the  passage  of  the  Israel- 
ites, and  of  the  catastrophe  of  the  Egyptians,  I  will  ask 
whether  you  have  met  with  traces  under  the  water  of  this 
great  historical  fact?" 

"  No,  sir;  and  for  a  very  good  reason." 

"What  is  it?" 

"  It  is  that  the  spot  where  Moses  and  his  people  passed 
is  now  so  blocked  up  with  sand  that  the  camels  can  barely 
bathe  their  legs  there.  You  can  well  understand  that 
there  would  not  be  water  enough  for  my  Nautilus." 

"And  the  spot?"  I  asked. 

*'  The  spot  is  situated  a  little  above  the  Isthmus  of  Suez, 
in  the  arm  which  formerly  made  a  deep  estuary,  when  the 


164  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

Red  Sea  extended  to  the  Salt  Lakes.  Now,  whether  this 
passage  were  miraculous  or  not,  the  Israelites,  neverthe- 
less, crossed  there  to  reach  the  Promised  Land,  and  Pha- 
raoh's army  perished  precisely  on  that  spot;  and  I  think 
that  excavations  made  in  the  middle  of  the  sand  would 
bring  to  light  a  large  number  of  arms  and  instruments  of 
Egyptian  origin." 

"That  is  evident,"  I  replied;  **and   for  the  sake  of 
archaeologists  let  us  hope  that  these  excavations  will  be 
made  sooner  or  later,  when  new  towns  are  established   on 
the  isthmus,  after  the  construction  of  the  Suez  Canal;  a  ^ 
canal,  however,  very  useless  to  a  vessel  like  the  Nautilus." 

''  Very  likely;  but  useful  to  the  whole  world,"  said  Cap- 
tain Nemo.  "The  ancients  well  understood  the  utility  of 
a  communication  between  the  Red  Sea  and  the  Mediter- 
ranean for  their  commercial  affairs;  but  they  did  not  think 
of  digging  a  canal  direct,  and  took  the  Nile  as  an  inter- 
mediate. Very  probably  the  canal  which  united  the  Nile 
to  the  Red  Sea  was  begun  by  Sesostris,  if  we  may  believe 
tradition.  One  thing  is  certain,  that  in  the  year  615  before 
Jesus  Christ,  Necos  undertook  the  works  of  an  alimentary 
canal  to  the  waters  of  the  Nile,  across  the  plain  of  Egypt, 
looking  toward  Arabia.  It  took  four  days  to  go  up  this 
canal,  and  it  was  so  wide  that  two  triremes  could  go  abreast. 
It  was  carried  on  by  Darius,  the  son  of  Hystaspes,  and 
probably  finished  by  Ptolemy  II.  Strabosaw  it  navigated; 
but  its  decline  from  the  point  of  departure,  near  Bubastes, 
to  the  Red  Sea  was  so  slight,  that  it  was  only  navigable 
for  a  few  months  in  the  year.  This  canal  answered  all 
commercial  purposes  to  the  age  of  Antoninus,  when  it  was 
abandoned  and  blocked  up  with  sand.  Restored  by  order 
of  the  Caliph  Omar,  it  was  definitely  destroyed  in  761  or 
762  by  Caliph  Al-Mansor,  who  wished  to  prevent  the  ar- 
rival of  provisions  to  Mohammed-ben- Abdallah,  who  had 
revolted  against  him.  During  the  expedition  into  Egypt 
your  General  Bonaparte  discovered  traces  of  the  works  in 
the  Desert  of  Suez;  and,  surprised  by  the  tide,  he  nearly 
perished  before  regaining  Hadjaroth,  at  the  very  place 
where  Moses  had  encamped  three  thousand  years  before 
him." 

"  Well,  Captain,  what  the  ancients  dared  not  undertake, 
this  junction  between  the  two  seas,  which  will  shorten  the 
road  from  Cadiz  to  India,  M.  Lesseps  has  succeeded  in 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  165 

doing;  and  before  long  he  will  have  changed  Africa  into 
an  immense  island." 

*' Yes,  M.  Aronnax;  you  have  the  right  to  be  proud  of 
your  countryman.  Such  a  man  brings  more  honor  to  a 
nation  than  great  captains.  He  began,  like  so  many  others, 
with  disgust  and  rebuffs:  but  he  has  triumphed,  for  he  has 
the  genius  of  will.  And  it  is  sad  to  think  that  a  work  like 
that,  which  ought  to  have  been  an  international  work,  and 
which  would  have  saflBced  to  make  a  reign  illustrious 
should  have  succeeded  by  the  energy  of  one  man.  All 
honor  to  M.  Lesseps." 

"Yes,  honor  to  the  great  citizen!"  I  replied,  sur- 
prised by  the  manner  in  which  Captain  Nemo  had  just 
spoken. 

** Unfortunately,"  he  continued,  "I  cannot  take  you 
through  the  Suez  Canal;  but  you  will  be  able  to  see  the 
long  jetty  of  Port  Said  after  to-morrow,  when  we  shall  be 
in  the  Mediterranean." 

"The  Mediterranean!"  I  exclaimed. 

"Yes,  sir;  does  that  astonish  you?" 

**  What  astonishes  me  is  to  think  that  we  shall  be  there 
the  day  after  to-morrow." 

"Indeed?" 

"  Yes,  Captain,  although  by  this  time  1  ought  to  have 
accustomed  myself  to  be  surprised  at  nothing  since  I-  have 
been  on  board  your  boat." 

"But  the  cause  of  this  surprise?" 

"  Well!  it  is  the  fearful  speed  you  will  have  to  put  on 
the  Nautilus,  if  the  day  after  to-morrow  she  is  to  be  in  the 
Mediterranean,  having  made  the  round  of  Africa,  and 
doubled  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope?" 

"Who  told  you  that  she  would  make  the  round  of 
Africa,  and  double  the  Cope  of  Good  Hope,  sir?" 

"Well,  unless  the  Nautilus  sails  on  dry  land,  and  passes 
above  the  isthmus " 

"  Or  beneath  it,  M.  Aronnax." 

"  Beneath  it?" 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Captain  Nemo,  quietly.  "  A  long 
time  ago  nature  made  under  this  tongue  of  land  what  man 
has  this  day  made  on  its  surface." 

"  What!  such  a  passage,  exists?" 

"Yes;  a  subterranean  passage,  which  I  have  named  the 


166  30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

Arabian  Tunnel.  It  takes  us  beneath  Suez,  and  opens 
into  the  Gulf  of  Pelusium." 

"But  this  isthmus  is  composed  of  nothing  but  quick- 
sands." 

"  To  a  certain  depth.  But  at  fifty -five  yards  only,  thero 
is  a  solid  layer  of  rock." 

"  Did  you  discover  this  passage  by  chance?"  I  asked, 
more  and  more  surprised. 

"Chance  and  reasoning,  sir;  and  by  reasoning  even 
more  than  by  chance.  Not  only  does  this  passage  exist, 
but  I  have  profited  by  it  several  times.  Without  that  I 
should  not  have  ventured  this  day  into  the  impassable  Eed 
Sea.  I  noticed  that  in  the  Red  Sea  and  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean thtve  existed  a  certain  number  of  fishes  of  a  kind 
perfectly  identical — ophidia,  flatoles,  girelles,  and  exocoeti. 
Certain  of  that  fact,  I  asked  myself  Was  it  possible  that 
there  was  no  communication  between  the  two  seas?  If 
there  was  the  subterranean  current  must  necessarily  run 
from  the  Eed  Sea  to  the  Mediterranean,  from  <!the  sole 
cause  of  difference  of  level.  1  caught  a  large  number  of 
fishes  in  the  neighborhood  of  Suez.  I  passed  a  copper 
ring  through  their  tails,  and  threw  them  back  into  the  sea. 
Some  months  later,  on  the  coast  of  Syria,  I  caught  some 
of  my  fish  ornamented  with  the  ring.  Thus  the  commu- 
nication between  the  two  was  proved.  I  then  sought  for 
it  with  my  Nautilus;  I  discovered  it,  ventured  into  it,  and 
before  long,  sir,  you  too  will  have  passed  through  my 
Arabian  Tunnel!" 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  ARABIAN  TUNNEL. 

That  same  evening,"  in  21°  30'  north  latitude,  the  Nau- 
tilus floated  on  the  surface  of  the  sea,  approaching  the 
Arabian  coast.  I  saw  Djeddah,  the  most  important  count- 
ing-house of  Egypt,  Syria,  Turkey,  and  India.  I  dis- 
tinguished clearly  enough  its  buildings,  the  vessels  anchored 
at  the  quays,  and  those  whose  draught  of  water  obliged 
them  to  anchor  in  the  roads.  The  sun,  rather  low  oti  the 
horizon,  struck  full  on  the  houses  of  the  town,  bringing 
out  their  whiteness.  Outside,  some  wooden  cabins,  and 
some  made  of  reeds,  showed  the  quarter  inhabited  by  the 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  1C7 

Bedouins.  Soon  Djeddali  was  shut  out  from  yiew  by  the 
shadows  of  night,  and  the  Nautilus  found  herself  under 
water  slightly  phosphorescent. 

The  next  day,  the  10th  of  February,  we  sighted  several 
ships  running  to  windward.  The  Kautilus  returned  to  its 
submarine  navigation;  but  at  noon,  when  her  bearings 
were  taken,  the  sea  being  deserted,  she  rose  again  to  her 
water-line. 

Accompanied  by  Ned  and  Conseil,  1  seated  myself  on 
the  platform.  The  coast  on  the  eastern  side  looked  like  a 
mass  faintly  printed  upon  a  damp  fog. 

We  were  leaning  on  the  sides  of  the  pinnace,  talking  of 
one  thing  and  another,  when  Ned  Land,  stretching  out  his 
hand  toward  a  spot  on  the  sea,  said : 

"  Do  you  see  anytning  there,  sir?" 

''No,  Ned,"  I  replied;  *'  but  I  have  not  your  eyes,  you 
know." 

"Look  well,"  said  Ned,  "there,  on  the  starboard  beam, 
about  the  height  of  the  lantern!  Do  you  not  see  a  mass 
wliicii  seems  to  move?" 

"  Certainly,"  said  I,  after  close  attention;  "  I  see  some- 
thing like  a  long  black  body  on  the  top  of  the  water." 

And  certainly  before  long  the  black  object  was  not  more 
than  a  mile  from  us.  It  looked  like  a  great  sandbank 
deposited  in  the  open  sea.     It  was  a  gigantic  dugongi 

Ned  Land  looked  eagerly.  His  eyes  shone  with  cov- 
etousness  at  the  sight  of  the  animal.  His  hand  seemed 
ready  to  harpoon  it.  One  would  have  thought  he  was 
awaiting  the  moment  to  throw  himself  into  the  sea,  and 
attack  it  in  its  element. 

At  this  moment  Captain  Nemo  appeared  on  the  plat- 
form. He  saw  the  dugong,  understood  the  Canadian's 
attitude,  and  addressing  him,  said: 

"If  you  had  a  harpoon  just  now,  Master  Land,  would 
it  not  burn  your  hand?" 

"Just  so,  sir." 

"  And  you  would  not  be  sorry  to  go  back  for  one  day, 
to  your  trade  of  fisherman,  and  to  add  this  cetacean  to  the 
list  of  those  you  have  already  killed?" 

"I  should  not,  sir." 

"Well,  you  oftn  try." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Ned  Land,  his  eyes  flaming. 


IG8  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

"  Only,"  continncd  tlio  cjijTtiiin,  "  I  advise  you,  for  your 
own  sake,  not  to  miss  the  creature." 

•^'Is  the  dugong  dangerous  to  attack?"  I  asked,  in  spite 
of  the  Canadian's  shrug  of  the  shoulders. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  captain,  ''sometimes  the  animal 
turns  upon.*  its  assailants  aud  overturns  their  boat.  But 
for  Master  Land^  this  danger  is  n,ot  to  be  feared.  His  eye 
is  prompt,  his  arm  sure." 

At  this  moment  seven  men  of  the  crew,  mute  and  im- 
movable as  ever,  mounted  the  platform.  One  carried  a 
harpoon  and  a  line  similar  to  those  employed  in  catching 
whales.  The  pinnace  was  lifted  from  the  bridge,  pulled 
from  its  socket,  and  let  down  into  the  sea.  Six  oarsmen 
took  their  seats,  and  the  coxswain  went  to  the  tiller.  Ned, 
Conseil,  and  I  went  to  the  back  of  the  boat, 

"You  are  not  coming,  Captain?"  I  asked. 

"  No,  sir;  but  I  wish  you  good  sport." 

The  boat  put  off,  and,  lifted  by  the  six  rowers,  drew 
rapidly  toward  the  dugong,  which  floated  about  two  miles 
from  the  Nautilus. 

Arrived  some  cables'  length  from  the  cetacean,  the  speed 
slackened,  and  the  oars  dipped  noiselessly  into  the  quiet 
waters.  Ned  Land,  harpoon  in  hand,  stood  in  the  fore 
part  of  the  boat.  The  harpoon  for  striking  the  ^Vllale  is 
generally  attached  to  a  very  long  cord,  which  runs  out 
rapidly  as  the  wounded  creature  draws  it  after  him.  But 
here  the  cord  was  not  more  than  ten  fathoms  long,  and 
the  extremity  was  attached  to  a  small  barrel,  which,  by 
floating,' was  to  show  the  course  the  dugong  took  under 
the  water. 

I  stood,  and  carefully  wntched  the  Canadian's  adversary. 
This  dugong,  which  also  bears  the  names  of  the  halicore, 
closely  resembles  the  manatee;  its  oblong  body  terminated 
in  a  lengthened  tail,  and  its  lateral  fins  in  perfect  fingers. 
Itj  difference  from  the  manatee  consisted  in  its  upper  jaw, 
which  was  armed  with  two  long  and  pointed  teeth,  which 
formed  on  each  side  diverging  tusks. 

This  dugong,  which  Ned  Land  was  preparing  to  attack, 
was  of  colossal  dimensions?;  it  was  more  than  seven  yards 
long.  It  did  not  move  and  seemed  to  be  sleeping  on  the 
waves,  which  circumstance  made  it  easier  to  capture. 

The  boat  approached  within  six  yards  of  the  animal. 
The  oars  rested  on  the  rowlocks.    I  half  rose.  Ned  Land, 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  169 

his  body  thrown  a  little  back,  brandished  the  harpoon  in 
his  experienced  hand. 

Suddenly  a  hissing  noise  was  heard,  and  the  dugong 
disappeared.  The  harpoon,  although  thrown  with  great 
force,  had  apparently  only  struck  the  water. 

"Curse  it!"  exclaimed  the  Canadian  furiously;  ''I  have 
missed  it!'* 

*' No,"  said  I;  "the  creature  is  wounded — look  at  the 
blood;  but  your  weapon  has  not  stuck  in  his  body." 

"My  harpoon!  my  harpoon!"  cried  Ned  Land. 

The  sailors  rowed  on,  and  the  coxswain  made  for  the 
floating  barrel.  The  harpoon  regained,  we  followed  in 
pursuit  of  the  animal. 

The  latter  came  now  and  then  to  the  surface  to  breathe. 
Its  wound  had  not  weakened  it,  for  it  shot  onward  with 
great  rapidity. 

The  boat,  rowed  by  strong  arms,  flew  on  its  track. 
Several  times  it  approached  within  some  few  yards,  and 
the  Canadian  was  ready  to  strike,  but  the  dugong  made 
off  with  a  sudden  plunge,  and  it  was  impossible  to  reach  it. 

Imagine  the  passion  which  excited  impatient  Ned  Land! 
He  hurled  at  the  unfortunate  creature  the  most  energetic 
expletives  in  the  English  tongue..  For  my  parti  was  ouIjj 
vexed  to  see  the  dugong  escape  all  our  attacks. 

We  pursued  it  without  relaxation  for  an  hour,  and  I 
began  to  think  it  would  prove  difficult  to  capture,  when 
the  animal,  possessed  with  the  perverse  idea  of  vengeance, 
of  which  he  had  cause  to  repent,  turned  upon  the  pin- 
nace and  assailed  us  in  its  turn. 

This  maneuver  did  not  escape  the  Canadian. 

"  Look  out!"  he  cried. 

The  coxswain  said  some  words  in  his  outlandish  tongue, 
doubtless  warning  the  men  to  keep  on  their  guard. 

The  dugong  came  within  twenty  feet  of  the  boat,  stopped, 
sniffed  the  air,  briskly  with  its  large  nostrils  (not  pierced 
at  the  extremity,  but  in  the  upper  part  of  its  muzzle). 
Then  taking  a  spring,  he  threw  himself  upon  us. 

The  pinnace  could  not  avoid  the  shock,  and  half  upset, 
shipped  at  least  two  tons  of  water,  which  had  to  be 
emptied;  but  thanks  to  the  coxswain,  we  caught  it  side- 
ways, not  full  front,  so  we  were  not  quite  overturned. 
While  Ned  Lang,  clinging  to  the  bows,  belabored  the 
gigantic  animal  with  blows  from  his  harpoon,  the  creature's 


170  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

teeth  were  buried  in  the  gunwale,  and  it  lifted  the  whole 
thing  out  of  the  water>iis  a  lion  does  a  roebuck.  We  were 
upset  over  one  another,  an^'I  know  not  how  the  adventure 
would  have  ended,  if  the  Canailian,  still  enraged  with  the 
beast,  had  not  struck  it  to  the  n^v%.  ' 

I  heard  its  teeth  grind  on  the  iron^M|^s,  and  the  dugong 
disappeared,  carrying  the  harpoon^l(||^hirn.  But  the 
barrel  soon  returned  to  the  service,  and  TWiprtly  after  tlie 
body  of  the  animal,  turned  on  its  back.  The  boat  came 
up  with  it,  took  it  in  tow,  and  made  straight  for  the 
Nautilus. 

It  required  tackle  of  enormous  strength  to  hoist  the 
dugong  on  to  the  platform.     It  weighed  10,000  lbs. 

The  next  day,  February  11th,  the  larder  of  the  Nautilus 
was  enriched  by  some  more  delicate  game.  A  flight  of  sea- 
swallows  rested  on  the  Nautilus.  It  was  a  species  of  the 
Sterna  nilotica,  peculiar  to  Egypt;  its  beak  is  black,  head 
gray  and  pointed,  the  eye  surrounded  by  white  spots,  the 
back,  wings,  and  tail  of  a  grayish  color,  the  belly  and 
throat  white,  and  claws  red.  They  also  took  some  dozen 
of  Nile  ducks,  a  wild  bird  of  high  flavor,  its  throat  and 
upper  part  of  the  head  white  with  black  spots. 

About  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  we  sighted  to  the  north 
the  Cape  of  Ras-Mohammed.  This  cape  forms  the  ex- 
tremity of  Arabia  Petrsea,  comprised  between  the  Gulf  of 
Suez  and  the  Gulf  of  Acabah. 

The  Nautilus  penetrated  into  the  Straits  of  Jubal,  which 
leads  to  the  Gulf  of  Suez.  I  distinctly  saw  a  high  mount- 
ain, towering  between  the  two  gulfs  of  Ras-Mohammed. 
It  was  Mount  Horeb,  that  Sinai  at  the  top  of  which  Moses 
saw  God  face  to  face. 

At  six  o'clock  the  Nautilus,  sometimes  floating,  some- 
times immersed,  passed  some  distance  from  Tor,  situated 
at  the  end  of  the  bay,  the  waters  of  which  seemed  tinted 
with  red,  an  observation  already  made  by  Captain  Nemo. 
Then  night  fell  in  the  midst  of  a  heavy  silence,  sometimes 
broken  by  the  cries  of  the  pelican  and  other  night  birds, 
and  the  noise  of  the  waves  breaking  upon  the  shore,  chaf- 
ing against  the  rocks,  or  the  panting  of  some  far-off 
steamer  beating  uhe  waters  of  the  gulf  with  its  noisy 
paddles. 

From  eight  to  nine  o'clock  the  Nautilus  remained  some 
fathoms  under  the  water.     According  to  my  calculatioK 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEll    THE    SEAS.  171 

we  must  have  been  very  near  Suez.  Tlirougli  the  panel  of 
the  saloon  I  saw  the  bottom  of  the  rocks  brilliantly  lit  up 
by  our  electric  lamp.  We  seemed  to  be  leaving  the  straits 
behind  us  more  and  more. 

At  a  quarter  past  nine,  the  vessel  having  returned  to 
the  surface,  I  mounted  the  platform.  Most  impatient  to 
pass  through  Captain  Nemo's  tunnel,  I  could  not  stay  in 
one  place,  so  came  to  breathe  the  fresh  night-air. 

Soon  in  the  shadow  I  saw  a  pale  liglit,  half  discolored 
by  the  fog,  shining  about  a  mile  from  us. 

"  A  floating  lighthouse!"  said  some  one  near  me. 

I  turned,  and  saw  the  captain. 

**  It  is  the  floating  light  of  Suez,"  he  continued.  "It 
will  not  be  long  before  we  gain  the  entrance  of  the  tunnel." 

"  The  entrance  cannot  be  easy?" 

"  No,  sir;  and  for  that  reason  I  am  accustomed  to  go 
into  the  steersman's  cage,  and  myself  direct  our  course. 
And  now,  if  you  Avill  go  down,  M.  Aronnax,  the  Nautilus 
is  going  under  the  waves,  and  will  not  return  to  the  sur- 
face until  we  have  passed  through  the  Arabian  Tunnel." 

Captain  Nemo  led  me  toward  the  central  staircase;  half- 
way down  he  opened  a  door,  traversed  the  underdeck,  and 
landed  in  the  pilot's  cage,  which  it  may  be  remembered 
rose  at  the  extremity  of  the  platform.  It  Avas  a  cabin 
measuring  six  feet  square,  very  much  like  that  occupied 
by  the  pilot  on  the  steamboats  of  the  Mississippi  or  Hud- 
son. In  the  midst  worked  a  wheel,  placed  vertically,  and 
caught  to  the  tiller-rope,  which  ran  to  the  back  of  the 
Nautilus.  Four  light-ports  with  lenticular  glasses,  let  in 
a  groove  in  the  partition  of  the  cabin,  allowed  the  man  at 
the  wheel  to  see  in  all  directions. 

This  cabin  was  dark;  but  soon  my  eyes  accustomed  them- 
selves to  the  obscurity,  and  I  perceived  the  pilot,  a  strong 
man,  with  his  hands  resting  on  the  spokes  of  the  wheel. 
Outside,  the  sea  appeared  vividly  lit  up  by  the  lantern, 
which  shed  its  rays  from  the  back  of  the  cabin  to  the  other 
extremity  of  the  platform. 

"Now,"  said  Captain  Nemo,  "let  us  try  to  make  our 
passage." 

Electric  wires  connected  the  pilot's  cage  with  the  ma- 
chinery-room, and  from  there  the  captain  could  com- 
municate simultaneously  to  his  Nautilus  the  direction  and 


172  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

the  speed.  He  pressed  a  metal  knob;  and  at  once  the 
speed  of  the  screw  diminished. 

I  looked  in  silence  at  the  high  straight  wall  we  were 
running  by  at  this  moment,  tlie  immovable  base  of  a  mass- 
ive sandy  coast.  We  followed  it  thus  for  an  hour  only 
some  few  yards  off. 

Captain  Nemo  did  not  take  his  eye  from  the  knob,  sus- 
pended by  its  two  concentric  circles  in  the  cabin.  At  a 
simple  gesture,  the  pilot  modified  the  course  of  the  Nau- 
tilus every  instant. 

1  had  placed  myself  at  the  port-scuttle,  and  saw  some 
magnificent  substructures  of  coral,  zoophytes,  seaweed, 
and  fucus,  agitating  their  enormous  claws,  which  stretched 
out  from  the  fissures  of  the  rock. 

At  a  quarter  past  ten,  the  captain  himself  took  the  helm. 
A  large  gallery,  black  and  deep,  opened  before  us.  The 
Nautilus  went  boldly  into  it.  A  strange  roaring  was  heard 
round  its  sides.  It  was  the  waters  of  the  Bed  Sea,  which 
the  incline  of  the  tunnel  precipitated  violently  toward  the 
Mediterranean.  The  Nautilus  went  with  the  torrent, 
rapid  as  an  arrow,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  the  machinery, 
which,  in  order  to  offer  more  effective  resistance,  beat  the 
waves  with  reversed  screw. 

On  the  walls  of  the  narrow  passage  I  could  see  nothing 
but  brilliant  rays,  straight  lines,  furrows  of  fire,  traced  by 
the  great  speed,  under  the  brilliant  electric  light.  My 
heart  beat  fast. 

At  thirty-five  minutes  past  ten.  Captain  Nemo  quitted 
the  helm;  and,  turning  to  me,  said: 

''The  Mediterranean!" 

In  less  than  twenty  minutes,  the  Nautilus,  carried 
along  by  the  torrent,  had  passed  through  the  Isthmus  of 
Suez. 


CHAPTER  VI.  • 

THE   GRECIAN"   ARCHIPELAGO. 

The  next  day,  the  12th  of  February,  at  the  dawn  of  day, 
the  Nautilus  rose  to  the  surface.  I  hastened  on  to  the 
platform.  Three  miles  to  the  south  the  dim  outline  of 
Pelusium  was  to  be  seen.  A  torrent  had  carried  us  from 
one  sea  to  the  other.  About  seven  o'clock  Ned  and  Con- 
deil  joined  me. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEll    THE    SEAS.  173 

"Well,  Sir  Nsituralist,"  said  the  Canadian,  in  a  slightly 
jovial  tone,  ''and  the  Mediterranean?" 

"  We  are  floating  on  its  surface,  friend  Ned." 

"  What!"  said  Conseil,  "  this  very  night." 

"  Yes,  this  very  night;  in  a  few  minutes  we  have  passed 
this  impassable  isthmus." 

"I  do  not  believe  it,"  replied  the  Canadian. 

"Then  you  are  wrong,  Master  Land,"  I  continued; 
"this  low  coast  which  rounds  off  to  the  south,  is  the 
Egyptian  coast.  And  you,  who  have  such  good  eyes,  liied, 
you  can  see  the  jetty  of  Port  Said  stretching  into  the  sea." 

The  Canadian  looked  attentively. 

"  Certainly  you  are  right,  sir,  and  your  captain  is  a  first- 
rate  man.  We  are  in  the  Mediterranean.  Good!  Now 
if  you  please,  let  us  talk  of  our  little  affair,  but  so  that  no 
one  hears  us." 

I  saw  what  the  Canadian  Avanted,  and,  in  any  case,  I 
thought  it  better  to  let  him  talk,  as  he  wished  it;  so  we  all 
three  went  and  sat  down  near  the  lantern,  where  we  were 
less  exposed  to  the  spray  of  the  blades. 

"Now,  Ned,  we  listen;  what  have  you  to  tell  us?" 

"  AVhat  I  have  to  tell  you  is  very  simple.  We  are  in 
Europe;  and  before  Captain  Nemo's  caprices  drag  us  once 
more  to  the  bottom  of  the  Polar  seas,  or  lead  us  into 
Oceanica,  I  ask  to  leave  the  Nautilus." 

I  wished  in  no  way  to  shackle  the  liberties  of  my  com- 
panions, but  I  certainly  felt  no  desire  to  leave  Captain 
Nemo. 

Thanks  to  him,  and  thanks  to  his  apparatus,  I  was  each 
day  nearer  the  completion  of  my  submarine  studies;  and  I 
was  re-writing  my  book  of  submarine  depths  in  its  very 
element.  Should  I  ever  again  have  such  an  opportunity 
of  observing  the  wonders  of  the  ocean?  No,  certainly  not! 
And  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  the  idea  of  abandoning 
the  Nautilus  before  the  cycle  of  investigation  was  accom- 
plished. 

"Friend  Ned,  answer  me  frankly,  are  you  tired  of  being 
on  board?  Are  you  sorry  that  destiny  has  thrown  us  into 
Captain  Nemo's  hands?" 

The  Canadian  remained  some  moments  without  answer- 
ing.    Then  crossing  his  arms,  he  said: 

"Frankly,  I  do  not  regret  this  journey  under  the  seas. 


174  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

I  shall  be  glad  to  have  made  it;  but  now  that  it  is  made, 
let  us  have  done  with  it.     That  is  my  idea." 

"It  will  come  to  an  end,  Ned." 

"  Where  and  when?" 

**  Where  I  do  not  know,  when  I  cannot  say;  or,  rather, 
I  suppose  it  will  end  when  these  seas  have  nothing  more 
to  teach  us." 

"  Then  what  do  you  hope  for?"  demanded  the  Cana- 
dian. 

"That  circumstances  may  occur  as  well  six  months 
hence  as  now  by  which  we  may  and  ought  to  profit." 

"  Oh,"  said  Ned  Land,  "  and  where  shall  we  be  in  six 
months,  if  you  please.  Sir  Naturalist." 

"Perhaps  in  China;  you  know  the  Nautilus  is  a  rapid 
traveler.  It  goes  through  water  as  swallows  through  the 
air,  or  as  an  express  on  the  land.  It  does  not  fear  fre- 
quented seas;  who  can  say  tluit  it  may  not  beat  the  coast 
of  France,  England,  or  America,  on  which  flight  may  be 
attempted  as  advantageously  as  here." 

"  M.  Aronnax,"  replied  the  Canadian,  "your  argu- 
ments are  rotten  at  the  foundation.  You  speak  in  the 
future,  *  We  shall  be  there!  we  shall  be  here?'  I  speak  in 
the  present,  *  We  are  here,  and  we  must  profit  by  it.'  " 

Ned  Land's  logic  pressed  me  hard,  and  I  felt  myself 
beaten  on  that  ground.  I  knew  not  what  argument  would 
now  tell  in  my  favor. 

"Sir,"  continued  Ned,  "let  us  suppose  an  impossi- 
bility; if  Captain  Nemo  should  this  day  offer  you  your 
liberty,  would  you  accept  it?" 

"I  do  not  know,"  I  answered. 

"  And  if,"  he  added,  "  the  offer  he  made  you  this  day 
was  never  to  be  renewed,  would  you  accept  it?" 

"  Friend  Ned,  this  is  my  answer.  Your  reasoning  is 
against  me.  We  must  not  rely  on  Captain  Nemo's  good- 
will. Common  prudence  forbids  him  to  set  us  at  liberty. 
On  the  other  side,  prudence  bids  us  profit  by  the  first 
opportunity  to  leave  the  Nautilus." 

"  Well,  M.  Aronnax,  that  is  wisely  said." 

"  Only  one  observation — just  one.  The  occasion  must 
be  serious,  and  our  first  attempt  must  succeed,  if  it  fails, 
we  shall  never  find  another,  and  Captain  Nemo  will  never 
forgive  us." 

"All  that  is  true,"  replied  the  Canadian.     "But  your 


20,000    LEAGUES     UNDER    THE    SEAS.  175 

observation  applies  equally  to  all  attempts  at  flight,  whether 
in  two  years'  time,  or  two  days.  But  the  question  is  still 
this;  if  a  favorable  opportunity  presents  itself,  it  must  be 
seized." 

"Agreed!  and  now,  Ned,  will  you  tell  me  what  you 
mean  by  a  favorable  opportunity?" 

"It  will  be  that  which,  on  a  dark  night,  will  bring  the 
Nautilus  a  short  distance  from  some  European  coast." 

"  And  you  will  try  and  save  yourself  by  swimming?" 

"  Yes,  if  we  were  near  enough  to  the  bank,  and  if  the 
vessel  was  floating  at  the  time.  Not  if  the  bank  was  far 
away,  and  the  boat  was  under  the  water." 

"  And  in  that  case?" 

"  In  that  ease,  I  should  seek  to  make  myself  master  of 
the  pinnace.  I  know  how  it  is  worked.  We  must  get  in- 
side, and  the  bolts  once  drawn,  we  shall  come  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  water,  without  even  the  pilot,  who  is  in  the 
bows,  perceiving  our  flight." 

"  Well,  Ned,  watch  for  the  opportunity;  but  do  notfor- 
gec  that  a  hitch  will  ruin  us." 

"  I  will  not  forget,  sir." 

"And  now,  Ned,  would  you  like  to  know  what  I  think 
of  your  project?" 

"  Certainly,  M.  Aronnax." 

"  Well,  I  think — I  do  not  say  I  hope — I  think  that  this 
favorable  opportunity  will  never  present  itself." 

"Why  not?" 

"  Because  Captain  Nemo  cannot  hide  from  himself  that 
we  have  not  given  up  all  hope  of  regaining  our  liberty, 
and  he  will  be  on  his  guard,  above  all,  in  the  seas,  and  in 
the  sight  of  European  coasts." 

"  We  shall  see,"  replied  Ned  Land,  shaking  his  head 
determinedly. 

'•And  now,  Ned  Land,"  I  added,  "let  us  stop  here. 
Not  another  word  on  the  subject.  The  day  that  you  are 
ready,  come  and  let  us  know,  and  we  will  follow  you.  I 
rely  entirely  upon  you." 

Thus  ended  a  conversation  which,  at  no  very  distant 
time,  led  to  such  grave  results.  I  must  say  here  that  facts 
seemed  to  confirm  my  foresight,  to  the  Canadian's  great 
despair.  Did  Captain  Nemo  distrust  us  in  these  frequented 
seas?  or  did  he  only  wish  to  hide  himself  from  the  numer- 
ous vessels,  of  all  nations,  which  plowed  the  Mediterra- 


176  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEK    THE    SEAS. 

nean?  I  could  not  tell;  but  we  were  oftener  between 
waters,  and  far  from  the  coast.  Or,  if  the  Nautilus  did 
emerge,  nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  the  pilot's  cage;  and 
sometimes  it  went  to  great  depths,  for,  between  the  Gre- 
cian Archipelago  and  Asia  Minor,  we  could  not  touch  the 
botton  by  more  than  a  thousand  fathoms. 

Thus  I  only  knew  we  were  near  the  island  of  Oarpathos, 
one  of  the  Sporades,  by  Captain  Nemo  reciting  these  lines 
from  Virgil — 

"  Est  in  Carpathio  Neptuni  gurgite  vates, 
Cseruleus  Proteus," 

as  he  pointed  to  a  spot  on  the  planisphere. 

It  was  indeed  the  ancient  abode  of  Proteus,  the  old 
shepherd  of  Neptune's  flocks,  now  the  island  of  Scarpanto, 
situated  between  Rhodes  and  Crete.  I  saw  nothing  but 
the  granite  base  through  the  glass  panels  of  the  saloon. 

The  next  day,  the  14th  of  February,  I  resolved  to  em- 
ploy some  hours  in  studying  the  fishes  of  the  Archipelago; 
but,  for  some  reason  or  other,  the  panels  remained  her- 
metically sealed.  Upon  taking  the  course  of  the  Nautilus, 
I  found  that  we  were  going  toward  Candia,  the  ancient 
Isle  of  Crete.  At  the  time  I  embarked  on  the  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  the  whole  of  this  island  had  risen  in  insur- 
rection against  the  despotism  of  the  Turks.  But  how  the 
insurgents  had  fared  since  that  time  I  was  absolutely  ig- 
norant, and  it  was  not  Captain  Nemo,  deprived  of  all  land 
communications,  who  could  tell  me. 

I  made  no  allusion  to  this  event  when  that  night  I  found 
myself  alone  with  him  in  the  saloon.  Besides  he  seemed 
to  be  tactiturn  and  preoccupied.  Then  contrary  to  his 
custom,  he  ordered  both  panels  to  be  opened,  and  going 
from  one  to  the  other,  observed  the  mass  of  Vaters  attent- 
ively. To  what  end  I  could  not  guess;  so,  on  my  side,  I 
employed  my  time  in  studying  the  fish  passing  before  my 
eyes. 

Amongst  others,  I  remarked  some  gobies,  mentioned  by 
Aristotle,  and  commonly  known  by  the  name  of  sea- 
braches,  which  are  more  particularly  met  with  in  the  salt 
waters  lying  near  the  Delta  of  the  Nile.  Near  them  rolled 
some  sea-bream,  half  phosphorescent,  a  kind  of  sparus, 
which  the  Egyptians  ranked  amongst  their  sacred  animals, 
whose  arrival  in  the  waters  of  their  river  announced  a  fer- 


30,000    LEAGUES    CNDER    THE    SEAS.  177 

tile  overflow,  ami  was  celebrated  by  religious  ceremonies.  I 
also  noticed  some  cheilines  about  nine  inches  long,  a  bony 
fish  with  transparent  shell,  whose  livid  color  is  mixed 
with  red  spots;  they  are  great  eaters  of  marine  vegetation, 
which  gives  them  an  exqusite  flavor.  These  cheilines 
were  much  sought  after  by  the  epicures  of  ancient  Rome; 
the  inside  dressed  with  the  soft  roe  of  the  lamprey,  pea- 
cock's brains,  and  tongues  of  the  phenicoptera,  composed 
that  divine  dish  of  which  Vitellius  was  so  enamored. 

Another  inhabitant  of  these  seas  drew  my  attention,  and 
led  my  mind  back  to  recollections  of  antiquity.  It  was  the 
remora,  that  fastens  on  to  the  shark's  belly.  This  little 
fish,  according  to  the  ancients,  hooking  on  to  the  ship's 
bottom,  could  stop  its  movements;  and  one  of  them,  by 
keeping  back  Antony's  ship  during  the  battle  of  Actium, 
helped  Augustus  to  gain  the  victory.  On  how  little  hangs 
the  destiny  of  nations!  I  observed  some  fine  anthiae,  which 
belong  to  the  order  of  lutjans,  a  fish  held  sacred  by  the 
Greeks,  who  attributed  to  them  the  power  of  hunting  the 
marine  monsters  from  waters  they  frequented.  Their 
name  signifies ^y^ower,  and  they  justify  their  appellation  by 
their  shaded  colors,  their  shades  comprising  the  whole 
gamut  of  reds,  from  the  paleness  of  the  rose  to  the  bright- 
ness of  the  ruby,  and  the  fugitive  tints  that  clouded  their 
dorsal  fin.  My  eyes  could  not  leave  these  wonders  of  the 
sea,  when  they  were  suddenly  struck  by  an  unexpected  ap- 
parition. 

In  the  midst  of  the  waters  a  man  appeared,  a  diver, 
carrying  at  his  belt  a  leathern  purse.  It  was  not  a  body 
abandoned  to  the  waves;  it  was  a  living  man,  swimming 
with  a  strong  hand,  disappearing  occasionally  to  take 
breach  at  the  surface. 

I  turned  toward  Captain  Nemo,  and  in  an  agitated  voice 
exclaimed : 

"  A  man  shipwrecked!     He  must  be  saved  at  any  price!" 

The  captain  did  not  answer  me,  but  came  and  leaned 
against  the  panel. 

The  man  had  approached,  and  with  his  face  flattened 
against  the  glass  was  looking  at  us. 

To  my  great  amazement,  Captain  Nemo  signed  to  him. 
The  driver  answered  with  his  hand,  mounted  immediately 
to  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  did  not  appear  again. 

"  Do  not  be  uncomfortable,"  said  Captain  Nemo.     **  It 


178  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS, 

is  Nicholas  of  Cape  Matapan,  surnamed  Pesca.  He  is 
well  known  in  all  the  Cyclades.  A  bold  diver!  water  is  liis 
element,  and  he  lives  more  in  it  than  on  land,  going  con- 
tinnally  from  one  island  to  another,  even  as  far  as  Crete." 

"You  know  him,  Captain?" 

"Why  not,  M.  Aronnax?" 

Saying  which,  Cuptam  Nemo  went  toward  a  piece  of 
fiirnitnre  standing  near  tlie  left  panel  of  the  saloon.  Near 
this  piece  of  furniture,  I  saw  a  chest  bound  with  iron,  on 
the  cover  of  which  was  a  copper  plate,  bearing  the  cipher 
of  the  Nautilus  with  its  device. 

At  that  moment,  tiie  captain,  without  noticing  my  pres- 
ence, opened  the  piece  of  furniture,  a  sort  of  strong  box, 
which  held  a  great  many  ingots. 

They  were  ingots  of  gold.  From  whence  came  this 
]irecioiis  metal,  which  represented  an  enormous  sum? 
Where  did  the  captain  gather  this  gold  from?  and  what 
was  he  going  to  do  with  it? 

I  did  not  say  one  word.  I  looked.  Captain  Nemo  took 
tlie  ingots  one  by  one,  and  arranged  them  methodically  in 
the  chest,  which  he  filled  entirely.  I  estimated  the  con- 
tents at  more  more  than  4,000  lbs.  weight  of  gold,  that  is 
to  say,  nearly  £200,000. 

The  chest  was  securely  fastened,  and  the  captain  wrote 
an  address  on  the  lid,  in  characters  which  must  have  be- 
longed to  Modern  Greece. 

This  done,  Captain  Nemo  pressed  a  knob,  the  wire  of 
whicii  communicated  with  the  quarters  of  the  crew.  Four 
men  appeared,  and,  not  without  some  trouble,  pushed  the 
chest  out  of  the  saloon.  Then  I  heard  them  hoisting  it 
up  the  iron  staircase  by  means  of  pulleys. 

At  that  moment.  Captain  Nemo  turned  to  me. 

"  And  you  were  saying,  sir?"  said  he. 

"  I  was  saying  nothing.  Captain." 

*'  Then,  sir,  if  you  will  allow  me,  I  will  wish  you  good 
night." 

Whereupon  he  turned  and  left  the  saloon. 

I  returned  to  my  I'oom,  much  troubled,  as  one  may  be- 
lieve. I  vainly  tried  to  sleep — I  sought  the  connecting 
link  between  the  apparition  of  the  diver  and  the  chest 
filled  with  gold.  Soon  I  felt  by  certain  movements  of 
pitching  and  tossing,  that  the  Nautilus  was  leaving  the 
depths  and  returning  to  the  surface. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  179 

Then  I  heard  steps  upon  tlie  platform;  and  I  knew 
they  were  unfastening  tiie  pinnace,  and  launching  it 
upon  the  waves.  For  one  instant  it  struck  the  side  of  the 
Nautilus,  then  all  noise  ceased. 

Two  hours  after,  the  same  noise,  the  same  going  and 
coming  vvas  renewed;  the  boat  was  hoisted  ou  board,  re- 
placed in  its  socket,  and  the  Nautilus  again  plunged  under 
the  waves. 

So  these  millions  had  been  transported  to  their  address. 
To  what  point  of  the  continent?  Who  was  Captain  Nemo's 
correspondent? 

The  next  day  I  related  to  Conseil  and  the  Canadian  the 
«vents  of  the  night,  which  had  excited  my  curiosity  to  the 
liighest  degree.  My  companions  were  not  less  surprised 
than  myself. 

"  But  where  does  he  take  his  millions  to?"  asked  Ned 
Land. 

To  that  there  was  no  possible  answer.  I  returned  to 
the  saloon  after  having  breakfast,  and  set  to  work.  Till 
five  o'clock  in  the  evening  I  employed  myself  in  arranging 
my  notes.  At  that  moment  (ought  I  to  attribute  it  to 
some  peculiar  idiosyncrasy?)  I  felt  so  great  a  Inat  that  I 
was  obliged  to  take  off  my  coat  of  byssus!  It  was  strange, 
for  we  were  not  under  low  latitudes;  and  even  then,  tlie 
Nautilus,  submerged  as  it  was,  ought  to  experience  no 
change  of  temperature.  I  looked  at  the  manometer;  it 
showed  a  depth  of  sixty  feet,  to  which  atmospheric  heat 
eould  never  attain.  , 

I  continued  my  work,  but  the  temperature  rose  to 
such  a  pitch  as  to  be  intolerable. 

"  Could  there  be  fire  on  board?"  I  asked  myself. 

I  was  leaving  the  saloon,  when  Captain  Nemo  entered; 
he  approached  the  thermometer,  consulted  it,  and  turning 
to  me  said: 

"Forty-two  degrees." 

"  I  have  noticed  it.  Captain,"  I  replied;  *'  and  if  it  gets 
much  hotter  we  cannot  bear  it." 

•'*  0,  sir,  it  will  not  get  hotter  if  we  do  not  wish  it!" 

"  You  can  reduce  it  as  you  please,  then?" 

"No;  but  I  can  go  further  from  the  stove  which  pro- 
duces it."  \ 

"  It  is  onward  then?" 

"Certainly;  we  are  floating  in  a  current  of  boiling  water," 


180  20,000    LEAGUES    UlJDEll    THE    SEAS. 

*'Is  it  possible!"  I  exclaimed. 

"  Look." 

The  panels  opened,  and  I  saw  the  sea  entirely  white  all 
around.  A  sulphurous  smoke  was  curling  amid  the 
waves,  which  boiled  like  water  in  a  copper.  I  placed  my 
hand  on  one  of  the  panes  of  glass,  but  the  heat  was  so 
great  that  I  quickly  took  it  off  again. 

"  Where  are  we?"  I  asked. 

"  Near  the  Island  of  Santorin,  sir,"  replied  the  captain, 
"  and  just  in  the  canal  which  separates  Nea  Kamenni 
from  Pali  Kamenni.  I  wished  to  give  you  a  sight  of  the 
curious  spectacle  of  a  submarine  eruption." 

"  I  thouglit,"  said  I,  "  that  the  formation  of  these  new 
islands  was  ended." 

'*  Nothing  is  ever  ended  in  the  volcanic  parts  of  the 
sea,"  replied  Captain  Nemo;  ''.-ind  the  globe  is  always 
being  worked  by  subterranean  fires.  Already,  in  the  nine- 
teenth year  of  our  era,  according  to  Cassiodorus  and  Pliny, 
a  new  island,  Tlieia  (the  divine),  appeared  in  the  very 
place  where  these  islets  have  recently  been  formed.  Then 
they  sank  under  the  waves,  to  rise  again  in  the  year  69, 
when  they  again  subsided.  Since  that  time  to  our  days, 
the  Plutonian  work  has  been  suspended.  But,  on  the  3d 
of  February,  1866,  a  new  island,  which  they  named  G-eorge 
Island,  emerged  from  the  midst  of  the  sulpliurous  vapor 
near  Nea  Kamenni,  and  settled  again  the  sixth  of  the 
same  month.  Seven  days  after,  the  13th  of  February,  the 
island  of  Aphroessa  appeared,  leaving  between  Nea  Ka- 
menni and  itself  a  canal  ten  yards  broad.  I  was  in  these 
seas  when  the  phenomenon  occurred,  and  I  was  able  there- 
fore to  observe  all  the  different  phases.  The  island  of 
Aphroessa,  of  round  form,  measured  300  feet  in  diameter, 
and  thirty  feet  in  height.  It  was  composed  of  black  and 
vitreous  lava,  mixed  with  fragments  of  feldspar.  And 
lastly,  on  the  10th  of  March,  a  smaller  island,  called  Reka, 
sliowed  itself  near  Nea  Kamenni,  and  since  then  these 
three  have  joined  together,  forming  but  one  and  the  same 
island." 

"And  the  canal  in  which  we  are  at  this  moment?"  I 
asked. 

*'  Here  it  is,"  replied  Captain  Nemo,  showing  me  a 
map  of  the  Archipelago.  "You  see  I  have  marked  the 
new  islands," 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  181 

I  returned  to  the  glass..  The  Nautilus  was  no  longer 
moving,  the  heat  was  becoming  unbearable.  The  sea, 
which  till  now  had  been  white,  was  red,  owing  to  the 
presence  of  salts  of  iron.  In  spite  of  the  ship's  being  her- 
metically sealed,  an  insupportable  smell  of  sulphur  filled 
the  saloon,  and  the  brilliancy  of  the  electricity  was  entirely 
extinguished  by  bright  scarlet  flames.  I  was  in  a  bath,  1 
was  choking,  I  was  broiled. 

"  We  can  remain  no  longer  in  this  boiling  water,"  said 
I  to  tiie  captain. 

"  It  would  not  be  prudent,"  replied  the  impassive  Cap- 
tain Nemo. 

An  order  was  given;  the  Nautilus  tacked  about  and  left 
the  furnace  it  could  not  brave  with  impunity.  A  quarter 
of  im  hour  after  we  were  breathing  fresh  air  on  the  sur- 
face. The  thought  then  struck  me  that,  if  Ned  Land  had 
chosen  this  part  of  tlie  sea  for  our  flight,  we  should  never 
have  come  alive  out  of  this  sea  of  fire. 

The  next  day,  the  16th  of  February,  we  left  the  basin 
which,  between  Rhodes  and  Alexandria,  is  reckoned  about 
1,500  fathoms  in  depth,  and  the  Nautilus,  passing  some 
distance  from  Cerigo,  quitted  the  Grecian  Archipelago, 
after  having  doubled  Cape  Matapan, 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE   MEDITERRANEAN   IN   FORTY-EIGHT  HOUBS. 

The  Mediterranean,  the  blue  sea  par  excellence,  "the 
great  sea  "  of  the  Hebrews,  "  the  sea  "  of  the  Greeks,  the 
*'  mare  nostrum "  of  the  Romans,  bordered  by  orange- 
trees,  aloes,  cacti,  and  sea-pines;  embalmed  with  the  per- 
fume of  the  myrtle,  surrounded  by  rude  mountains,  sat- 
urated with  pure  and  transparent  air,  but  incessantly 
worked  by  underground  fires,  a  perfect  battle-field  in 
which  Neptune  and  Pluto  still  dispute  the  empire  of  the 
world! 

It  is  upon  these  banks,'and  on  these  waters, 'says  Michelet, 
that  man  is  renewed  in  one  of  the  most  powerful  climates 
of  the  globe.  But  beautiful  as  it  was,  I  could  only  take  a 
rapid  glance  at  the  basm  whose  superficial  area  is  two 
millions  of  square  yards,     Even  Captain  Nemo's  knowl- 


183  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

edge  was  lodt  to  me,  for  this  enigmatical  person  did  not 
appear  once  during  our  passage  at  full  speed.  I  estimated 
the  course  which  the  isautilus  took  under  the  waves  of 
the  sea  at  about  six  hundred  leagues,  and  it  was  accom- 
plished in  forty-eight  liours.  Starting  on  the  morning  of 
the  16th  of  February  from  the  shores  of  Greece,  we  had 
crossed  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  by  sunrise  on  the  18th. 

It  was  plain  to  me  that  this  Mediterranean,  inclosed  in 
the  midst  of  those  countries  which  he  wished  to  avoid, 
was  distasteful  to  Captain  Nemo.  Those  waves  and  those 
breezes  brouglit  back  too  many  remembrances,  if  not  too 
many  regrets.  Here  he  had  no  longer  that  independence 
and  that  liberty  of  gait  which  he  had  when  in  the  open 
seas,  and  his  Nautilus  felt  itself  cramped  between  the  close 
shores  of  Africa  and  Europe. 

Our  speed  was  now  twenty-five  miles  an  hour.  Itlhay 
be  well  understood  that  Ned  Land,  to  his  great  disgust, 
was  obliged  to  renounce  his  intended  flight.  He  could 
not  launch  the  pin<iace,  going  at  the  rate  of  twelve  or 
thirteen  yards  every  second.  To  quit  the  Nautilus  undei* 
such  conditions  would  be  as  bad  as  jumping  from  a  train 
at  full  speed — an  imprudent  thing,  to  say  the  least  of  it. 
Besides,  our  vessel  only  mounted  to  the  surface  of  the 
waves  at  night  to  reneAV  its  stock  of  air;  it  was  steered 
entirely  by  the  compass  and  the  log. 

I  saw  no  more  of  the  interior  of  this  Mediterranean  than 
a  traveler  by  express  train  perceives  of  the  landscape 
which  flies  before  his  eyes;  that  is  to  say,  the  distant  hori- 
zon, and  not  the  nearer  objects  which  pass  like  a  flash  of 
lightning. 

In  the  midst  of  the  mass  of  waters  brightly  lit  up  by 
the  electric  light  glided  some  of  those  lampreys,  more  than 
a  yard  long,  common  to  almost  every  climate.  Some  of 
the  oxyrhynchi,  a  kind  of  ray  five  feet  broad,  with  white 
belly  and  gray  spotted  back,  spread  out  like  a  large  shawl 
carried  along  by  the  current.  Other  rays  passed  so  quickly 
that  I  could  not  see  if  they  deserved  the  name  of  eagles 
which  was  given  to  them  by  the  ancient  Greeks,  or  the 
qualification  of  rats,  toads,  and  bats  with  which  modern 
fishermen  have  loaded  them.  A  few  milander  sharks, 
twelve  feet  long,  and  much  feared  by  divers,  struggled 
amongst  them.  Sea- foxes  eight  feet  long,  endowed  with 
wonderful  fineness  of    scent,   appeared  like  large    blue 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  183 

shadows.  Some  dorados  of  the  shark  kind,  some  of  which 
measured  seven  feet  and  a  half,  showed  themselves  in 
their  dress  of  blue  and  silver,  encircled  by  small  bands 
which  struck  sharply  against  the  somber  tints  of  their  fins, 
a  fish  consecrated  to  Venus,  the  eyes  of  which  are  incased 
in  a  socket  of  gold;  a  precious  species,  friend  of  all  waters, 
fresh  or  salt,  an  inhabitant  of  rivers,  lakes,  and  oceans, 
living  in  all  climates,  and  bearing  all  temperatures;  a  race 
belonging  to  the  geological  era  of  the  earth,  and  which 
has  preserved  all  the  beauty  of  its  first  days.  Magnificent 
sturgeons,' nine  or  ten  yards  long,  creatures  of  great  speed, 
striking  the  panes  of  glass  with  their  strong  tails,  dis- 
played their  bluish  backs  with  small  brown  spots;  they 
resemble  the  sharks,  but  are  not  equal  to  them  in  strength, 
and^are  to  be  met  with  in  all  seas.  But  of  all  the  diverse 
inhabitants  of  the  Mediterranean,  those  I  observed  to  the 
greatest  advantage,  when  the  Nautilus  approached  the 
surface,  belonged  to  the  sixty-third  genus  of  bony  fish. 
They  were  a  kind  of  tunny,  with  bluish  black  backs,  and 
silvery  breastplates,  whose  dorsal  fins  threw  out  sparkles 
of  gold.  They  are  said  to  follow  in  the  wake  of  vessels, 
whose  refreshing  shade  they  seek  from  the  fire  of  a  tropi- 
cal sky,  and  they  did  not  belie  the  saying,  for  they  accom- 
panied the  Nautilus  as  they  did  in  former  times  the  vessel 
of  La  Perouse,  For  many  a  long  hour  they  struggled  to 
keep  up  with  our  vessel.  I  was  never  tired  of  admiring 
these  creatures  really  built  for  speed — their  small  heads, 
their  bodies  lithe  and  cigar-shaped,  which  in  some  were 
more  than  three  yards  long,  their  pectoral  fins,  and  forked 
tail  endowed  with  remarkable  strength.  They  swam  in  a 
triangle,  like  certain  flocks  of  birds,  whose  rapidity  they 
equaled,  and  of  which  the  ancients  used  to  say  that  they 
understood  geometry  and  strategy.  But  still  they  do  not 
escape  the  pursuit  of  the  proven9als,  who  esteem  them  as 
highly  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  Propontis  and  of  Italy 
used  to  do;  and  these  precious  but  blind  and  foolhardy 
creatures  perish  by  millions  in  the  nets  of  the  Marseil- 
laise. 

With  regard  to  the  species  of  fish  common  to  the  At- 
lantic and  the  Mediterranean,  the  giddy  speed  of  the 
JSTautilus  prevented  me  from  observing  them  with  any  de- 
gree of  accuracy. 

As  to  marine  mammals,  I  thought,  in  passing  the  en- 


184  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS. 

trance  of  tlio  Adriiitic,  that  I  saw  two  or  tlireo  cachalots, 
furnishod  witli  one  dorsal  fin,  of  the  genus  physetera, 
some  dolphins  of  the  genus  globicephali,  peculiar  to  the 
Mediterranean,  the  back  part  of  the  head  being  marked 
like  a  zebra  with  small  lines;  also  a  dozen  of  seals,  with 
white  bellies  and  black  hair,  known  by  the  name  of  monks, 
and  which  really  have  the  air  of  a  Dominican;  they  are 
about  three  yards  in  length. 

As  to  zoophytes,  for  some  instants  I  was  able  to  admire 
a  beautiful  orange  galeolaria,  which  had  fastened  itself  to 
the  port  panel;  it  held  on  by  a  long  filament,  and  was 
divided  into  an  infinity  of  branches,  terminated  by  the 
finest  lace  which  could  ever  have  been  woven  by  the  rivals 
of  Arachne  herself.  Unfortunately,  I  could  not  take  this 
specimen;  and  doubtless  no  other  Mediterranean  zoophyte 
would  have  offered  itself  to  my  observation,  if  on  the 
night  of  the  sixteenth,  the  Nautilus  had  not,  singularly 
enough,  slackened  its  speed,  under  the  following  circum- 
stances: 

We  were  then  passing  between  Sicily  and  the  coast  of 
Tunis.  In  the  narrow  space  between  Cape  Bon  and  the 
Straits  of  Messina,  the  bottom  of  the  sea  rose  almost  sud- 
denly. There  was  a  perfect  bank,  on  which  there  was  not 
more  than  nine  fathoms  of  water,  whilst  on  either  side  the 
depth  was  ninety  fathoms. 

The  Nautilus  had  to  maneuver  very  carefully  so  as  not  . 
to  strike  against  this  submarine  barrier. 

I  showed  Conseil  on  the  map  of  the  Mediterranean  the 
spot  occupied  by  this  reef. 

"  But  if  you  please,  sir,"  observed  Conseil,  "  it  is  like  a 
real  isthmus  joining  Europe  to  Africa." 

"  Yes,  my  boy,  it  forms  a  perfect  bar  to  the  Straits  of 
Lybia,  and  the  soundings  of  Smith  have  proved  that  in 
former  times  the  continents  between  Cape  Boco  and  Cape 
Furina  were  joined." 

"  I  can  well  believe  it,"  said  Conseil. 

"I  will  add," I  continued,  "that  a  similar  barrier  exists 
between  Gibraltar  and  Ceuta,  which  in  geological  times 
formed  the  entire  Mediterranean." 

"  What  if  some  volcanic  burst  should  one  day  raise  these 
two  barriers  above  the  waves?" 

**It  is  not  probable,  Conseil." 

**Well,  but  allow  me  to  finish,  please,  sir;  if  this  phe* 


20,000    LEAGUES     UNDER    THE    SEAS.  185 

iiomenon  should  take  place,  it  will  be  troublesome  for 
'^\.  Lesseps,  who  has  taken  so  much  pains  to  pierce  the 
isthmus." 

"I  agree  with  you;  but  I  repeat,  Conseil,  this  phenom- 
enon will  never  happen.  The  violence  of  subterranean 
force  is  ever  diminishing.  Volcanoes  so  plentiful  in  the 
first  days  of  the  world,  are  being  extinguished  by  degrees; 
the  internal  heat  is  weakened,  the  temperature  of  the 
lower  strata  of  the  globe  is  lowered  by  a  perceptible  quan- 
tity every  century  to  the  detriment  of  our  gA)be,  for  its 
heat  is  its  life."  I  T 

'•But  the  sun?" 

"The  sun  is  not  suflScient,  Conseil.  Can  it  give  heat  to 
a  dead  body?" 

"Not  that  I  know  of." 

"  Well,  my  friend,  this  earth  will  one  day  be  that  cold 
corpse;  it  will  become  uninhabitable  and  uninhabited  like 
the  moon,  which  has  long  since  lost  all  its  vital  heat." 

"In  how  many  centuries?" 

"  In  some  hundreds  of  thousands  of  years,  my  boy." 

"  Then,"  said  Conseil,  "  we  shall  have  time  to  finish  our 
journey,  that  is,  if  Ned  Land  does  not  interfere  with  it." 

And  Conseil,  reassured,  returned  to  the  study  of  the 
bank,  which  the  Nautilus  was  skirting  at  a  moderate  speed. 

There,  beneath  the  rocky  and  volcanic  bottom,  lay  out- 
spread a  living  flora  of  sponges  and  reddish  cydippes,  which 
emitted  a  slight  jDhosphorescent  light,  commonly  known 
by  the  name  of  sea-cucumbers;  and  walking  comatulas 
more  than  a  yard  long,  the  purple  of  which  completely 
colored  the  water  around. 

The  Nautilus  having  now  passed  the  high  bank  in  the 
Lybian  Straits,  returned  to  the  deep  waters  and  its  accus- 
tomed speed. 

From  that  time  no  more  molluscs,  no  more  articulates, 
no  more  zoophytes;  barely  a  few  large  fish  passing  like 
shadows. 

During  the  night  of  the  16th  and  17th  February,  we 
had  entered  the  second  Mediterranean  basin,  the  greatest 
depth  of  which  was  1,450  fathoms.  The  Nautilus,  by  the 
action  of  its  screw,  slid  down  the  inclined  planes,  and 
buried  itself  in  the  lowest  depths  of  the  sea. 

On  the  18th  of  February,  about  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  we  were  at  the  entrance  of  the  Straits  ol  Gib' 


J  86  2U,000    LKAOUKS     LWDKH    'IJIE    SEAS. 

raltar.  There  once  existed  two  currents, — an  upper  one^ 
long  since  recognized,  which  conveys  the  waters  of  the 
ocean  into  tlie  basin  of  the  Mediterranean;  and  a  lower 
counter-current,  which  reasoning  has  now  shown  to  exist. 
Indeed,  the  volume  of  water  in  tiie  Mediterranean,  inces- 
santly added  to  by  the  waves  of  the  Atlantic,  and  by  rivers 
falling  into  it,  would  each  year  raise  the  level  of  this  sea, 
for  its  evaporation  is  not.  sufficient  to  restore  the  equilib- 
rium. As  it  is  not  so,  we  must  necessarily  admit  the  ex- 
istence of  an  under-current,  which  empties  into  the  basin 
of  the  Atlantic,  through  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  the  sur- 
plus waters  of  the  Mediterranean.  A  fact,  indeed;  and  it 
was  this  counter-current  by  which  the  Nautilus  profited. 
It  advanced  rapidly  by  the  narrow  pass.  For  one  instant 
I  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  beautiful  ruins  of  the  temple  of 
Hercules,  buried  in  the  ground,  according  to  Pliny,  and 
with  the  low  island  which  supports  it;  and  a  few  minutes 
later  we  were  floating  on  the  Atlantic. 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

VIGO   BAY. 

The  Atlantic!  a  vast  sheet  of  water,  whose  superficial 
area  covers  twenty-five  millions  of  square  miles,  the  length 
of  which  is  nine  thousand  miles,  with  a  mean  breadth  of 
two  thousaaid  seven  hundred — an  ocean  whose  parallel 
winding  shores  embrace  an  immense  circumference, 
watered  by  the  largest  rivers  of  the  world,  the  St.  Law- 
rence, the  Mississippi,  the  Amazon,  the  Plata,  the  Orinoco, 
the  Niger,  the  Senegal,  the  Elbe,  the  Loire,  and  the 
Eiiine,  which  carrv  water  from  the  most  civilized,  as  well 
as  from  the  most  savage  countries.  Magnificent  field  of 
water,  incessantly  plowed  by  vessels  of  every  nation, 
sheltered  by  the  flags  of  every  nation,  and  which  termi- 
nates in  those  two  terrible  points  so  dreaded  by  mariners. 
Cape  Horn  and  the  Cape  of  Tempests! 

The  Nautilus  was  piercing  the  water  with  its  sharp 
spur,  after  having  accomplished  nearly  ten  thousand 
leagues  in  three  months  and  a  half,  a  distance  greater  than 
the  great  cii'cle  of  the  earth.  Where  were  we  going  now? 
and   whnc  was  reserved  for  the  future?    The  Nautilus, 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  1S1 

leaving  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  had  gone  far  ont.  It  re- 
turned to  the  surface  of  the  waves,  and  our  daily  walks  on 
the  platform  were  restored  to  us. 

I  mounted  at  once,  accompanied  by  Ned  Land  and 
Conseil.  At  a  distance  of  about  twelve  miles.  Cape  St. 
Vincent  was  dimly  to  be  seen,  forming  the  southwestern 
point  of  the  Spanish  peninsula.  A  strong  southerly  gale 
was  blowing.  The  sea  was  swollen  and  billowy;  it  made 
the  Nautilus  rock  violently.  It  was  almost  impossible  to 
keep  one's  footing  on  the  platform,  which  the  heavy  rolls 
of  the  sea  beat  over  every  instant.  So  we  descended  after 
inhaling  some  mouthfuls  of  fresh  air. 

I  returned  to  my  room,  Conseil  to  his  cabin;  but  the 
Canadian,  with  a  preoccupied  air,  followed  me.  Our  rapid 
passage  across  the  Mediterranean  liad  not  allowed  him  to 
put  his  project  into  execution,  and  he  could  not  help  show-, 
ing  his  disappointment.  When  the  door  of  my  room  was 
shut  he  sat  down  and  looked  at  me  silently. 

*' Friend  Ned,"  said  I,  "I  understand  you;  but  you 
cannot  reproach  yourself.  To  have  attempted  to  leave 
the  Nautilus  under  the  circumstances  would  have  been 
folly." 

Ned  Land  did  not  answer:  his  compressed  lips  "and 
frowning  brow  showed  with  him  the  violent  possession  this 
fixed  idea  had  taken  of  his  mind. 

"Let  us  see,"  I  continued;  "we  need  not  despair  yet. 
We  are  going  up  the  coast  of  Portugal  again;  France  and 
England  are  not  far  off,  where  we  can  easily  find  refuge. 
Now,  if  the  Nautilus,  on  leaving  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar, 
had  gone  to  the  south,  if  it  had  carried  us  toward  regions 
where  there  were  no  continents,  I  should  share  your  un- 
easiness. But  we  know  now  that  Captain  Nemo  does  not 
fly  from  civilized  seas,  and  in  some  days  I  think  you  can 
act  with  security." 

Ned  Land  still  looked  at  me  fixedly,  at  length  his  fixed 
lips  parted,  and  he  said,  "It  is  for  to-night." 

I  drew  myself  up  suddenly.  I  was,  I  admit,  little  pre- 
pared for  this  communication.  I  wanted  to  answer  the 
Canadian,  but  words  would  not  come. 

"  We  agreed  to  wait  for  an  opportunity,"  continued 
Ned  Land,  "and  the  opportunity  has  arrived.  This  night 
we  shall  be  but  a  few  miles  from  the  Spanish  coast.     It  is 


1S8  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS. 

cloudy.  Tlie  wind  blows  freely.  I  have  your  word,  M. 
Aroimax,  and  I  rely  upon  you." 

As  I  was  still  silent,  the  Canadian  approached  me. 

*' To-night,  at  nine  o'clock,"  said  he,  "I  have  warned 
Conseil.  At  that  moment  Captain  Nemo  will  be  shut  up 
in  his  room,  probably  in  bed.  Neither  the  engineers  nor 
the  ship's  crew  can  see  us.  Conseil  and  I  will  gain  the 
central  staircase,  and  you,  M.  Aronnax,  will  remain  in 
tlie  library,  two  steps  from  us,  waiting  my  signal.  The 
oars,  the  mast,  and  the  sail  are  in  the  canoe.  I  have 
even  succeeded  in  getting  in  some  provisions,  I  have  pro- 
cured an  English  wrench,  to  unfasten  the  bolts  which  at- 
tach it  to  the  shell  of  the  Nautilus,  So  all  is  ready  for 
to-night." 

"  The  sea  is  bad." 

"That  I  allow,"  replied  the  Canadian;  "but  we  must 
risk  that.  Liberty  is  worth  paying  for;  besides,  the  boat 
is  strong,  and  a  few  miles  with  a  fair  wind  to  carry  us  is 
no  great  thing.  Who  knows  but  by  to-morrow  we  may  be 
a  hundred  leagues  away?  Let  circumstances  only  favor 
us,  and  by  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  we  shall  have  landed  on 
some  spot  of  terra  Urma,  alive  or  dead.  But  adieu  now 
till  to-night." 

With  these  words  the  Canadian  withdrew,  leaving  me 
almost  dumb.  I  had  imagined  that,  the  chance  gone,  I 
should  have  time  to  reflect  and  discuss  the  matter.  My 
obstinate  companion  had  given  me  no  time;  and,  after  all, 
what  could  I  have  said  to  him?  Ned  Land  was  perfectly 
right.  There  was  almost  the  opportunity  to  profit  by. 
Could  I  retract  my  word,  and  take  upon  myself  the  re- 
sponsibility of  compromising  the  future  of  my  compan- 
ions? To-morrow  Captain  Nemo  might  take  us  far  from 
all  land. 

At  that  moment  a  rather  loud  hissing  told  me  that  the 
reservoirs  were  filling  and  that  the  Nautilus  was  sinking 
under  the  waves  of  the  Atlantic. 

A  sad  day  I  passed,  between  the  desire  of  regaining  my 
liberty  of  action,  and  of  abandoning  the  wonderful  Nauti- 
lus, and  leaving  my  submarine  studies  incomplete. 

What  dreadful  hours  I  passed  thus!  sometimes  seeing 
myself  and  companions  safely  landed,  sometimes  wishing, 
in  spite  of  my  reason,  that  some  unforeseen  circumstances 
woa/.d  prevent  the  realization  of  Ned  Land's  project. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  189 

Twice  I  went  to  the  saloon.  I  wished  to  consult  the 
compass.  I  wished  to  see  if  the  direction  the  Nautilus 
was  taking  was  bringing  us  nearer  or  taking  us  further 
from  the  coast.  But  no;  the  Nautilus  kept  in  Portuguese 
waters. 

I  liiust  therefore  take  my  part,  and  prepare  for  flight. 
My  luggage  was  not  heavy;  my  notes,  nothing  more. 

As  to  Captain  Nemo,  I  asked  myself  wliat  he  would 
think  of  our  escape;  what  trouble,  what  wrong  it  might 
cause  him,  and  what  he  might  do  in  case  of  its  discovery 
or  failure.  Certainly  I  had  no  cause  to  complain  of  him"; 
on  the  contrary,  never  was  hospitality  freer  than  his.  In 
leaving  him  I  could  not  be  taxed  with  ingratitude.  No 
oath  bound  us  to  him.  It  was  on  the  strength  of  circum- 
stances he  relied,  and  not  upon  our  word,  to  fix  us  for- 
ever. 

I  had  not  seen  the  captain  since  our  visit  to  the  Island 
of  Santorin.  Wou^d  chance  bring  me  to  his  presence 
before  our  departure?  I  wished  it,  and  I  feared  it  at  the 
same  time.  I  listened  if  I  could  hear  him  walking  in  the 
room  contiguous  to  mine.  No  sound  reached  my  ear.  I 
felt  an  unbearable  uneasiness.  This  day  of  waiting  seemed 
eternal.  Hours  struck  too  slowly  to  keep  pace  with  my 
impatience. 

My  dinner  was  served  in  my  room  as  usual.  I  ate  but 
little,  I  was  too  preoccupied.  I  left  the  table  at  seven 
o'clock.  A  hundred  and  twenty  minutes  (I  counted  them) 
still  separated  me  from  the  moment  in  which  I  was  to 
join  Ned  Land.  My  agitation  redoubled.  My  pulse  beat 
violently.  I  could  not  remain  quiet.  I  went  and  came, 
hoping  to  calm  my  troubled  spirit  by  constant  movement. 
The  idea  of  failure  in  our  bold  enterprise  was  the  least 
painful  of  my  anxieties;  but  the  thought  of  seeing  our 
project  discovered  before  leaving  the  Nautilus,  of  being 
brought  before  Captain  Nemo,  irritated,  or  (what  was 
worse)  saddened  at  my  desertion,  made  my  heart  beat. 

I  wanted  to  see  the  saloon  for  the  last  time.  I  de- 
scended the  stairs,  and  arrived  in  the  museum  where  I  had 
passed  so  many  useful  and  agreeable  hours,  I  looked  at  all 
its  riches,  all  its  treasures,  like  a  man  on  the  eve  of  an 
eternal  exile,  who  was  leaving  never  to  return.  These 
wonders  of  nature,  these  master-pieces  of  art,  amongst 
which,  for  so  many  days,  my  life  had  been  concentrated, 


190  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

I  was  going  to  abandon  them  forever!  I  should  like  to 
liave  taken  a  last  look  through  the  windows  of  the  saloon 
into  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic;  but  the  panels  were  her- 
metically dosed,  and  a  cloak  of  steel  separated  me  from 
that  ocean  which  I  had  not  yet  explored. 

In  passing  through  the  saloon,  I  came  near  the  door,  let 
into  the  angle,  which  opened  into  the  captain's  room.  To 
111}-  great  surprise,  this  door  was  ajar.  I  drew  back,  in- 
voluntarily. If  Captain  Nemo  should  be  in  his  room,  h\ 
could  see  me.  But,  hearing  no  noise,  I  drew  nearer.  The 
room  was  deserted.  I  puslied  open  the  door,  and  took 
some  steps  forward.  Still  the  same  monk-like  severity  of 
aspect. 

Suddenly  the  clock  struck  eight.  The  first  beat  of  th(» 
hammer  on  the  bell  awoke  me  from  my  dreams.  I  trem- 
bled as  if  an  invisible  eye  had  plunged  into  my  most  secrev, 
tlioughts,  and  I  hurried  from  the  room. 

There  my  eye  fell  upon  the  compass.  Our  course  was 
still  north.  The  log  indicated  moderate  speed,  the  ma- 
nometer a  depth  of  about  sixty  feet. 

I  returned  to  my  room,  clothed  myself  warmly — sea- 
boots,  an  otterskin  cap,  a  greatcoat  of  byssus,  lined  with 
yealskin;  I  was  ready,  I  was  waiting.  The  vibration  of 
the  screw  alone  broke  the  deep  silence  which  reigned  on 
board.  I  listened  attentively.  Would  no  loud  voice  sud- 
denly inform  me  that  Ned  Land  had  been  surprised  in  his 
projected  flight?  A  mortal  dread  hung  over  me,  and  I 
vainly  tried  to  regain  my  accustomed  coolness. 

At  a  few  minutes  to  nine,  I  put  my  ear  to  the  captain's 
door.  No  noise.  I  left  my  room  and  returned  to  the 
saloon,  which  was  half  in  obscurity,  but  deserted. 

I  opened  the  door  communicating  with  the  library. 
The  same  insuSicient  light,  the  same  solitude.  I  placed 
myself  near  the  door  leading  to  the  central  staircase,  and 
there  waited  for  Ned  Land's  signal. 

At  that  moment  the  trembling  of  the  screw  sensibly 
diminished,  then  it  stopped  entirely.  The  silence  wa? 
now  only  disturbed  by  the  beatings  of  my  own  heart 
Suddenly  a  slight  shock  was  felt;  and  I  Ivnew  that  the 
Nautilus  had  stopped  at  the  bottom  of  the  ocean.  My 
uneasiness  increased.  The  Canadian's  signal  did  not 
come.    I  felt  inclined  to  join  Ned  Land  and  beg  of  him 


20,000    LEAGUES    UXDER    THE    SEAS.  191, 

to  put  off  his  attempt.     I  felt  that  we  were  not  sailing 
under  our  usual  conditions. 

At  this  moment  the  door  of  the  large  saloon  opened  and 
Captain  Nemo  appeared.  He  saw  me,  and  without  further 
preamble,  began  in  an  amiable  tone  of  voice: 

"Ah,  sir!  I  have  been  looking  for  you.  Do  you  know 
the  history  of  Spain?" 

Now,  one  might  know  the  history  of  one's  own  country 
by  heart;  but  in  the  condition  I  was  at  the  time,  with 
troubled  mind  and  head  quite  lost,  I  could  not  have  said 
a  word  of  it. 

"Well,"  continued  Captain  Nemo,  "you  heard  my 
question?    Do  you  know  the  history  of  Spain?" 

"  Very  slightly,"  I  answered. 

"Well,  here  are  learned  men  having  to  learn,"  said  the 
captain.  "Come,  sit  down,  and  I  will  tell  you  a  curious 
episode  in  this  history.  Sir,  listen  well,"  said  he;  "this 
history  will  interest  you  on  one  side,  for  it  will  answer  a 
question  which  doubtless  you  have  not  been  able  to  solve." 

"  I  listen.  Captain,"  said  I,  not  knowing  what  my  inter- 
locutor was  driving  at,  and  asking  myself  if  this  incident 
was  bearing  on  our  projected  flight. 

"  Sir,  if  you  have  no  objection,  we  will  go  back  to  1702. 
You  cannot  be  ignorant  that  your  king,  Louis  XIV., 
thinking  that  the  gesture  of  a  potentate  was  sufficient  to 
bring  the  Pyrenees  under  his  yoke,  had  imposed  the  Duke 
of  Anjou,  his  grandson,  on  the  Spaniards.  This  prince 
reigned  more  or  less  badly  under  the  name  of  Philip  V., 
and  had  a  strong  party  against  him  abroad.  Indeed,  the 
preceding  year,  the  royal  houses  of  Holland,  Austria  and 
England  had  concluded  a  treaty  of  alliance  at  the  Hague; 
with  the  intention  of  plucking  the  crown  of  Spain  from 
the  head  of  Philip  V.,  and  placing  it  on  that  of  an  arch- 
duke to  whom  they  prematurely  gave  the  title  of  Charles 
III. 

*'  Spain  must  resist  this  coalition;  but  she  was  almost 
entirely  unprovided  with  either  soldiers  or  sailors.  How- 
ever money  would  not  fail  them,  provided  that  their  gal- 
leons, laden  with  gold  and  silver  from  America,  once 
entered  their  ports.  And  about  the  end  of  1702,  they 
expected  a  rich  convoy  which  France  was  escorting  with 
a  fleet  of  twenty-three  vessels,  commanded  by  Admiral 
Chateau-Renaud,  for  the  ships  of  the  coalition  were  already 


192  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

beating  the  Atlantic.  This  convoy  was  to  go  to  Cadiz, 
but  the  Admiral,  hearing  that  an  English  fleet  was  cruis- 
ing in  those  waters,  resolved  to  make  for  a  French  port. 

'^  The  Spanish  commanders  of  the  convoy  objected  to 
this  decision.  They  wanted  to  be  taken  to  a  Spanish 
port,  and  if  not  to  Cadiz,  into  Vigo  Bay,  situated  on  the 
northwest  coast  of  Spain,  and  which  was  not  blocked. 

''Admiral  Chateau- Eenaud  had  the  rashness  to  obey 
this  injunction,  and  the  galleons  entered  Vigo  Bay. 

**  Unfortunately,  it  formed  an  open  road  which  could 
not  be  defended  in  any  way.  They  must  therefore 
hasten  to  unload  the  galleons  before  the  arrival  of  the 
combined  fleet;  and  time  would  not  have  failed  them  had 
not  a  miserable  question  of  rivalry  suddenly  arisen. 

**  You  are  following  the  chain  of  events?"  asked  Cap- 
tain Nemo. 

"  Perfectly,"  said  I,  not  knowing  the  end  proposed  by 
this  historical  lesson. 

*'  I  will  continue.  This  is  what  passed.  The  mer- 
chants of  Cadiz  had  a  privilege  by  which  they  had  the  right 
of  receiving  all  merchandise  coming  from  the  West  Indies. 
Now,  to  disembark  these  ingots  at  the  Port  of  Vigo  was 
depriving  them  of  their  rights.  They  complained  at  Ma- 
drid, and -obtained  the  consent  of  the  weak-minded  Philip 
that  the  convoy,  without  discharging  its  cargo,  should  re- 
main sequestered  in  the  roads  of  Vigo  until  the  enemy 
had  disappeared. 

"  But,  whilst  coming  to  this  decision,  on  the  22d  of 
October,  1702,  the  English  vessels  arrived  in  Vigo  Bay, 
when  Admiral  Chateau-Renaud,  in  spite  of  inferior  forces, 
fought  bravely.  But  seeing  that  the  treasure  must  fall 
into  the  enemy's  hands,  he  burned  and  scuttled  every 
galleon,  which  went  to  the  bottom  with  their  immense 
riches." 

Captain  Nemo  stopped.  I  admit  I  could  not  yet  see 
why  this  history  should  interest  me. 

"Well?"  I  asked. 

"  Well,  M.  Aronnax,"  replied  Captain  Nemo,  "  we  are 
in  that  Vigo  Bay;  and  it  rests  with  yourself  whether  you 
will  penetrate  its  mysteries." 

The  captain  rose,  telling  me  to  follow  him.  I  had  had 
time  to  recover.     I  obeyed.     The  saloon  was  dark,  but 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  193 

through  the  transparent  glass  the  waves  were  sparkling. 
I  looked. 

For  half  a  mile  around  the  Nautilns  the  waters  seemed 
bathed  in  electric  light.  The  sandy  bottom  was  clean 
and  bright.  Some  of  the  ship's  crew  in  their  diving- 
dresses  were  clearing  away  half-rotten  barrels  and  empty 
cases  from  the  midst  of  the  blackened  wrecks.  From 
these  cases  and  from  these  barrels  escaped  ingots  of  gold 
and  silver,  cascades  of  piasters  and  jewels.  The  sand  was 
heaped  np  with  them.  Laden  with  their  precious  booty 
the  men  returned  to  the  Nautilus,  disposed  of  their 
burden,  and  went  back  to  this  inexhaustible  fishery  of  gold 
and  silver. 

I  understood  now.  This  was  the  scene  of  the  battle  of 
the  22d  of  October,  1702.  Here  on  this  very  spot  the 
galleons  laden  for  the  Spanish  government  had  sunk. 
Here  Captain  Nemo  came,  according  to  his  wants,  to  pack 
up  those  millions  with  which  he  burdened  the  Nautilus. 
It  was  for  him  and  him  alone  America  had  given  up  her 
precious  metals.  He  was  heir  direct,  without  any  one  to 
share  in  those  treasures  torn  from  the  Incas  and  from  the 
conquered  of  Ferdinand  Oortez. 

*'  Did  you  know,  sir,"  he  asked,  smiling,  '*  that  the  sea 
contained  such  riches?" 

*'  I  knew,"  I  answered,  "  that  they  value  the  money  held 
in  suspension  in  those  waters  at  two  millions." 

"Doubtless:  but  to  extract  this  money  the  expense 
would  be  greater  than  the  profit.  Here,  on  the  contrary, 
I  have  but  to  pick  up  what  man  has  lost;  and  not  only  in 
Vigo  Bay,  but  in  a  thousand  other  spots  where  shipwrecks 
have  happened,  and  which  are  marked  on  my  submarine 
map.  Can  you  understand  now  the  source  of  the  millions 
I  am  worth?" 

"I  understand.  Captain.  But  allow  me  to  tell  you  that 
in  exploring  Vigo  Bay  you  have  only  been  beforehand  with 
a  rival  society." 

"And  which?" 

"  A  society  which  has  received  from  the  Spanish  gov- 
ernment the  privilege  of  seeking  those  biiried  galleons. 
The  shareholders  are  led  on  by  the  allurement  of  an 
enormous  bounty,  for  they  value  these  rich  shipwrecks  at 
five  hundred  millions." 


194  30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

"Five  hundred  millions  they  were,"  answered  Captain 
Nemo,  "but  they  are  no  longer." 

"Just  so,"  said  I;  "and  a  warning  to  those  sharehold- 
ers would  be  an  act  of  charity.  But  who  knows  if  it 
would  be  well  received?  What  gamblers  usually  regret 
above  all  is  less  the  loss  of  their  money,  than  of  their  fool- 
ish hopes.  After  all,  I  pity  them  less  than  the  thousands 
of  unfortunates  to  whom  so  much  riches  well  distributed 
would  have  been  profitable,  whilst  for  them  they  will  be 
forever  barren." 

I  had  no  sooner  expressed  this  regret,  than  I  felt  that  it 
must  have  wounded  Captain  Nemo. 

"Barren!"  he  exclaimed,  with  animation.  "Do  you 
think  then,  sir,  that  these  riches  are  lost  because  I  gather 
them?  Is  it  for  myself  alone,  according  to  your  idea,  that 
I  take  the  trouble  to  collect  these  treasures?  Who  told 
you  that  I  did  not  make  a  good  use  of  it?  Do  you  think 
I  am  ignorant  that  there  are  suffering  beings  and  oppressed 
races  on  this  earth,  miserable  creatures  to  console,  victims 
to  avenge?     Do  you  not  understand?" 

Captain  Nemo  stopped  at  these  last  words,  regretting 
perhaps  that  he  had  spoken  so  much.  But  I  had  guessed 
that  whatever  the  motive  which  had  forced  him  to  seek 
independence  under  the  sea,  it  had  left  him  still  a  man, 
that  his  heart  still  beat  for  the  sufferings  of  humanity, 
and  that  his  immense  charity  was  for  oppressed  races  as 
well  as  individuals.  And  I  then  understood  for  whom 
those  millions  were  destined,  which  were  forwarded  by 
Captain  Nemo  when  the  Nautilus  was  cruising  in  the 
waters  of  Crete. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  VANISHED  CONTINENT. 

The  next  morning,  the  19th  of  February,  I  saw  the 
Canadian  enter  my  room.  I  expected  this  visit.  He 
looked  very  disappointed. 

"  Well,  sir?"  said  he. 

"  Well,  Ned,  fortune  was  against  us  yesterday." 

"  Yes;  that  captain  must  needs  stop  exactly  at  the  hoar 
we  intended  leaving  his  vessel." 

"  Yes,  Ned,  he  had  business  at  his  banker's.** 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  195 

"His  banker's?" 

"His  banker's!  Or  rather  his  banking-house;  by  that 
I  mean  the  ocean,  where  his  riches  are  safer  than  in  the 
chests  of  the  state." 

I  tlien  related  to  the  Canadian  the  incidents  of  the 
preceding  night,  hoping  to  bring  him  back  to  the  idea 
of  not  abandoning  the  captain;  but  my  recital  had  no 
other  result  than  an  energetically  expressed  regret  from 
Ned,  that  he  had  not  been  able  to  take  a  walk  on  the 
battle-field  of  Vigo  on  his  own  account. 

"However,"  said  he,  "all  is  not  ended.  It  is  only  a 
blow  of  the  harpoon  lost.  Another  time  we  must  succeed; 
and  to-night,  if  necessary " 

"  In  what  direction  is  the  Nautilus  going?"  I  asked. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  replied  Ned. 

"Well,  at  noon  we  shall  see  the  point." 

The  Canadian  returned  to  Conseil.  As  soon  as  I  was 
dressed,  I  went  into  the  saloon.  The  compass  was  not 
reassuring.  The  course  of  the  Nautilus  was  S.S.W.  We 
were  turning  our  backs  on  Europe. 

I  waited  with  some  impatience  till  the  ship's  place  was 
pricked  on  the  chart.  At  about  half-past  eleven  the 
reservoirs  were  emptied,  and  our  vessel  rose  to  the  surface 
of  the  ocean.  I  rushed  toward  the  platform.  Ned  Land 
had  preceded  me.  No  more  land  in  sight.  Nothing  but 
an  immense  sea.  Some  sails  on  the  horizon,  doubtless 
those  going  to  San  Roque  in  search  of  favorable  winds  for 
doubling  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  weather  was 
cloudy.  A  gale  of  wind  was  preparing.  Ned  raved  and 
tried  to  pierce  the  cloudy  horizon.  He  still  hoped  that 
behind  all  that  fog  stretched  the  land  he  so  longed  for. 

At  noon  the  sun  showed  itself  for  an  instant.  The 
second  mate  profited  by  this  brightness  to  take  its  height. 
Then  the  sea  becoming  more  billowy,  we  descended,  and 
the  panel  closed. 

An  hour  after,  upon  consulting  the  chart,  I  saw  the 
position  of  the  Nautilus  was  marked  at  16°  17'  longitude, 
and  33°  23'  latitude,  at  150  leagues  from  the  nearest  coast. 
There  was  no  means  of  flight,  and  I  leave  you  to  imagine 
the  rage  of  the  Canadian  when  I  informed  him  of  our 
situation. 

For  myself,  I  was  not  particularly  sorry.  I  felt  light- 
ened of  the  load  which  had  oppressel^me  and  was  able  to 


19G  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

return  with  some  degree  of  calmness  to  my  accustomed 
work. 

That  night,  about  eleven  o'clock,  I  received  a  most  un- 
expected visit  from  Captain  Nemo.  He  asked  me  very 
graciously  if  I  f&lt  fatigued  from  my  watch  of  the  preced- 
ing night.     I  answered  in  the  negative. 

'*  Then  M.  Aronnax,  I  propose  a  curious  excursion." 

*' Propose,  Captain?" 

**  You  have  hitherto  only  visited  the  submarine  depths 
by  daylight,  under  the  brightness  of  the  sun.  Would  it 
suit  you  to  see  them  in  the  darkness  of  the  night?" 

*'  Most  willingly." 

"  I  warn  you,  ih-e  way  will  be  tiring.  We  shall  have 
far  to  walk,  and  must  climb  a  mountain.  The  roads  are 
not  well  kept." 

"  What  you  say,  Captain,  only  heightens  my  curiosity; 
I  am  ready  to  follow  you." 

"  Come  then,  sir,  we  will  put  on  our  diving-dresses." 

Arrived  at  the  robing-room,  I  saw  that  neither  of  my 
companions  nor  any  of  the  ship's  crew  were  to  follow  on 
this  excursion.  Captain  Nemo  had  not  even  proposed  my 
taking  with  me  either  Ned  or  Conseil. 

In  a  few  moments  we  had  put  on  our  diving-dresses; 
they  placed  on  our  backs  the  reservoirs,  abundantly  filled 
with  air,  but  no  electric  lamps  were  prepared.  I  called 
the  captain's  attention  to  the  fact.    • 

*'  They  will  be  useless,"  he  replied. 

I  thought  I  had  not  heard  aright,  but  I  could  not  re- 
peat my  observation,  for  the  captain's  head  had  already 
disappeared  in  its  metal  case.  I  finished  harnessing  my- 
self, I  felt  them  put  an  iron-pointed  stick  into  my  hand, 
and  some  minutes  later,  after  going  through  the  usual 
form,  we  set  foot  on  the  bottom  of  the  Atlantic,  at  a  depth 
of  150  fathoms.  Midnight  was  near.  The  waters  were 
profoundly  dark,  but  Captain  Nemo  pointed  out  in  the 
distance  a  reddish  spot,  a  sort  of  a  large  light  shining 
brilliantly,  about  two  miles  from  the  Nautilus.  What  this 
fire  might  be,  what  could  feed  it,  why  and  how  it  lit  up 
the  liquid  mass,  I  could  not  say.  In  any  case,  it  did  light 
our  way,  vaguely,  it  is  true,  but  I  soon  accustomed  myself 
to  the  peculiar  darkness,  and  I  understood,  under  such 
circumstances,  the  uselessness  of  the  Ruhmkorlf  apparatus. 

As  we  advanced,  I  heard  a  kind  of  pattering  above  my 


•  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  197 

head.  The  noise  redoubling,  sometimes  producing  a  con- 
tinual shower,  I  soon  understood  the  cause.  It  was  rain 
falling  violently,  and  crisping  the  surface  of  the  waves. 
Instinctively  the  thought  flashed  across  my  mind  that  I 
should  be  wet  through!  By  the  water!  in  the  midst  of  the 
water!  I  could  not  help  laughing  at  the  odd  idea.  But 
indeed,  in  thick  diving  dress,  the  liquid  element  is  no 
longer  felt,  and  one  only  seems  to  be  in  an  atmosphere 
somewhat  denser  than  the  terrestrial  atmosphere.  Noth- 
ing more.  "  ^ 

After  half  an  hour's  walk  the  soil  became  stony.  Me- 
dusae, microscopic  Crustacea,  and  pennatules  lit  it  slightly 
with  their  phosphorescent  gleam.  I  caught  a  glimpse  of 
pieces  of  stone  covered  with  millions  of  zoophytes  and 
masses  of  sea-weed.  My  feet  often  slipped  upon  this  vis- 
cous carpet  of  sea-weed,  and  without  my  iron-tipped  stick 
I  should  have  fallen  more  than  once.  In  turning  round,  1 
could  still  see  the  whitish  lantern  of  the  Nautilus  begin- 
ning to  pale  in  the  distance. 

But  the  rosy  light  which  guided  us  increased  and  lit  up 
the  horizon.  The  presence  of  this  fire  under  water  puz- 
zled me  in  the  highest  degree.  Was  it  some  electric  efful- 
gence? Was  I  going  toward  a  natural  phenomenon  as  yet 
unknown  to  the  savants  of  the  earth?  Or  even  (for  this 
thought  crossed  my  brain)  had  the  hand  of  man  aught  to 
do  with  this  conflagration  ?  Had  he  fanned  this  flame? 
Was  I  to  meet  in  these  depths  companions  and  friends  of 
Captain  Nemo  whom  he  was  going  to  visit,  and  who,  like 
him,  led  this  strange  existence?  Should  I  find  down  there 
a  whole  colony  of  exiles,  who,  weary  of  the  miseries  of 
this  earth,  had  sought  and  found  independence  in  the 
deep  ocean?  All  these  foolish  and  unreasonable  ideas 
pursued  me.  And  in  this  condition  of  mind,  overexcited 
by  the  succession  of  wonders  continually  passing  before 
my  eyes,  I  should  not  have  been  surprised  to  meet  at  the 
bottom  of  the  sea  one  of  those  submarine  towns  of  which 
Captain  Nemo  dreamed. 

Our  road  grew  lighter  and  lighter.  The  white  glimmer 
came  in  rays  from  the  summit  of  a  mountain  about  800 
feet  high.  But  what  I  saw  was  simply  a  reflection,  de- 
veloped by  the  clearness  of  the  waters.  The  source  of  this 
inexplicable  light  was  a  fire  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
mountain. 


198  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

In  the  midst  of  this  stony  maze,  furrowing  the  bottom 
of  the  Atlantic,  Captain  Nemo  advanced  without  hesita- 
tion. He  knew  this  dreary  road.  Doubtless  he  had  often 
traveled  over  it,  and  could  not  lose  himself.  I  followed 
him  with  unshaken  confidence.  He  seemed  to  me  like  a 
genie  of  the  sea;  and,  as  he  walked  before  me,  I  could  not 
help  admiring  his  stature,  which  was  outlined  in  black  on 
the  luminous  horizon. 

It  was  one  in  the  morning  when  we  arrived  at  the  first 
slopes  of  the  mountain;  but  to  gain  access  to  them  we 
must  venture  through  the  difficult  paths  of  a  vast  copse. 

Yes;  a  copse  of  dead  trees,  without  leaves,  without  sap; 
trees  petrified  by  the  action  of  the  water,  arid  here  and 
there  overtopped  by  gigantic  pines.  It  was  like  a  coal  pit, 
still  standing,  holding  by  the  roots  to  the  broken  soil,  and 
whose  branches,  like  fine  black  paper  cuttings,  showed 
distinctly  on  the  watery  ceiling.  Picture  to  yourself  a  forest 
in  the  Hartz,  hanging  on  to  the  sides  of  the  mountain, 
but  a  forest  swallowed  up.  The  paths  were  encumbered 
with  sea-weed  and  fucus,  between  which  groveled  a  whole 
world  of  Crustacea.  I  went  along,  climbing  the  rocks, 
striding  over  extended  trunks  breaking  the  sea  bind-weed, 
which  hung  from  one  tree  to  the  other;  and  frightening 
the  fishes,  which  flew  from  branch  to  branch.  Pressing 
onward,  I  felt  no  fatigue.  I  followed  my  guide,  who  was 
never  tired.  What  a  spectacle!  how  can  I  express  it?  how 
paint  the  aspect  of  those  woods  and  rocks  in  this  medium 
— their  under  parts  dark  and  wild,  the  upper  colored  with 
red  tints,  by  that  light  which  the  reflecting  powers  of  the 
waters  doubled?  We  climbed  rocks,  which  fell  directly 
after  with  gigantic  bounds,  and  the  low  growling  of  an 
avalanche.  To  right  and  left  ran  long  dark  galleries,  where 
sight  was  lost.  Here  opened  vast  glades  which  the  hand 
of  man  seemed  to  have  worked^  and  I  sometimes  asked 
myself  if  some  inhabitant  of  these  submarine  regions  would 
not  suddenly  appear  to  me. 

But  Captain  Nemo  was  still  mounting.  I  could  not  stay 
behind.  I  followed  boldly.  My  stick  gave  me  good  help. 
A  false  step  would  have  been  dangerous  on  the  narrow 
passes  sloping  down  to  the  sides  of  the  gulf;  but  I  walked 
with  firm  step,  without  feeling  any  giddiness.  Now  I 
jumped  a  crevice  the  depth  of  which  would  have  made  me 
hesitate  had  it  been  among  the  glaciers  on  the  land;  now 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  199 

I  ventured  on  the  unsteady  trunk  of  a  tree,  thrown  across 
Irom  one  abyss  to  the  other,  without  looking  under  my 
feet,  having  only  eyes  to  admire  the  wild  sites  of  this 
region. 

There,  monumental  rocks,  leaning  on  their  regularly 
cut  bases,  seemed  to  defy  all  laws  of  equilibrium.  From 
between  their  stony  knees,  trees  sprang,  like  a  jet  under 
heavy  pressure,  and  upheld  others  which  upheld  them. 
Katural  towers,  large  scraps,  cut  perpendicularly,  like 
a  "  curtain,"  inclined  at  an  angle  which  the  laws  of 
gravitation  could  never  have  tolerated  in  terrestrial  regions. 

Two  hours  after  quitting  the  Nautilus,  we  had  crossed 
the  line  of  trees,  and  a  hundred  feet  above  our  heads 
rose  the  top  of  the  mountain,  which  cast  a  shadow  on 
the  brilliant  irradiation  of  the  opposite  slope.  Some 
petrified  shrubs  ran  fantastically  here  and  there.  Fishes 
got  up  under  our  feet  like  birds  in  the  long  grass.  The 
massive  rocks  were  rent  with  impenetrable  fractures,  deep 
grottos,  and  unfathomable  holes,  at  the  bottom  of  which 
formidable  creatures  might  be  heard  moving.  My  blood 
curdled  when  I  saw  enormous  antennae  blocking  my  road, 
or  some  frightful  claw  closing  with  a  noise  in  the  shadow 
of  some  cavity.  Millions  of  luminous  spots  shone  brightly 
in  the  midst  of  the  darkness.  They  were  the  eyes  of  giant 
Crustacea  crouched  in  their  holes;  giant  lobsters  setting 
themselves  up  like  halberdiers,  and  moving  their  claws 
with  the  clicking  sound  of  pincers;  titanic  crabs,  pointed 
like  a  gun  on  its  carriage;  and  frightful-looking  poulps, 
interweaving  their  tentacles  like  a  living  nest  of  serpents. 

We  had  now  arrived  on  the  first  platform,  where  other 
surprises  awaited  me.  Before  us  lay  some  picturesque 
ruins,  which  betrayed  the  hand  of  man  and  not  that  of 
the  Creator.  There  were  vast  heaps  of  stone,  amongst 
which  might  be  traced  the  vague  and  shadowy  forms  of 
castles  and  temples  clothed  with  a  world  of  blossoming 
zoophytes,  and  over  which,  instead  of  ivy,  sea- weed  and 
fucus  threw  a  thick  vegetable  mantle.  But  what  was  this 
portion  of  the  globe  which  had  been  swallowed  by  cata- 
clysms? Who  had  placed  those  rocks  and  stones  like 
cromlechs  of  pre-historic  times?  Where  was  I?  Whither 
had  Captain  Nemo's  fancy  hurried  me? 

I  would  fain  have  asked  him;  not  being  able  to,  I 
stopped  him — I  seized  his  arm.     But  shaking  his  head. 


^00  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS. 

and  pointing  to  the  highest  point  of  the  mountain,  he 
seemed  to  say: 

**Come,  come  along;  come  higher!" 

I  followed,  and  in  a  few  minutes  I  had  climhed  to  the 
top,  which  for  a  circle  of  ten  yards  commanded  the  whole 
mass  of  rock. 

I  looked  down  the  side  we  had  just  climbed.  The 
mountain  did  not  rise  more  than  seven  or  eight  hundred 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  plain;  but  on  the  opposite  side 
it  commanded  from  twice  that  height  the  depths  of  this 
part  of  the  Atlantic.  My  eyes  ranged  far  over  a  large 
space  lit  by  a  violent  fulguration.  In  fact,  the  mountain 
was  a  volcano. 

At  fifty  feet  above  the  peak,  in  the  midst  of  a  rain  of 
stones  and  scoriae,  a  large  crater  was  vomiting  forth  tor- 
rents of  lava,  which  fell  in  a  cascade  of  fire  into  the 
bosom  of  the  liquid  mass.  Thus  situated,  this  volcano  lit 
the  lower  plain  like  an  immense  torch,  even  to  the  extreme 
limits  of  the  horizon.  I  said  that  the  submarine  crater 
threw  up  lava,  but  no  flames.  Flames  require  the  oxygen 
of  the  air  to  feed  upon,  and  cannot  be  developed  under 
water;  but  streams  of  lava,  having  iu  themselves  the  prin- 
ciples of  their  incandescence,  can  attain  a  white  heat, 
fight  vigorously  against  the  liquid  element,  and  turn  it  to 
vapor  by  contact. 

Rapid  currents  bearing  all  these  gases  in  diffusion,  and 
torrents  of  lava,  slid  to  the  bottom  of  the  mountain  like 
an  eruption  of  Vesuvius  on  another  Terra  del  Greco. 

There,  indeed,  under  my  eyes,  ruined,  destroyed,  lay  a 
town — its  roofs  open  to  the  sky,  its  temples  fallen,  its 
arches  dislocated,  its  columns  lying  on  the  ground,  from 
which  one  could  still  recognize  the  massive  character  of 
Tuscan  architecture.  Further  on,  some  remains  of  a  giant 
aqueduct;  here  the  high  base  of  an  Acropolis,  with  the 
floating  outline  of  a  Parthenon;  there  traces  of  a  quay,  as 
if  an  ancient  port  had  formerly  abutted  on  the  borders  of 
the  ocean,  and  disappeared  with  its  merchant  vessels  and 
its  war  galleys.  Further  on  again,  long  lines  of  sunken 
walls  and  broad  deserted  streets — a  perfect  Pompeii  es- 
caped beneath  the  waters.  Such  was. the  sight  that  Cap- 
tain Nemo  brought  before  my  eyes. 

Where  was  I?  Where  was  I?  I  must  know  at  any  cost. 
I  tried  to  speak,  but  Captain  Nemo  stopped  me  by  a 


I      30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    Tlil^    SEAS.  2[)l 

gesture,  and  picking  up  a  piece  of  chalk  stone,  advanced 
to  a  rock  of  black  basalt,  and  traced  the  one  word, 

ATLANTIS. 

What  a  light  shot  through  my  mind:  Atlantis,  the 
ancient  Meropis  of  Theopompus,  the  Atlantis  of  Plato, 
that  continent  denied  by  Origen,  Jamblichus,  D'Anville, 
Malte-Brun,  and  Humboldt,  who  placed  its  disappearance 
among  the  legendary  tales  admitted  by  Posidonius,  Pliny, 
Ammianus  Marcellinus,  Tertullian,  Engel,  Buffon,  and 
D'Avezac.  I  had  it  there  now  before  my  eyes,  bearing 
upon  it  the  unexceptionable  testimony  of  its  catastrophe. 
The  region  thus  ingulfed  was  beyond  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Lybia,  beyond  the  columns  of  Hercules,  where  those 
powerful  people,  the  Atlantides,  lived,  against  whom  the 
first  wars  of  ancient  Greece  were  waged. 

Thus,  led  by  the  strangest  destiny,  I  was  treading  under 
foot  the  mountains  of  this  continent,  touching  with  my 
hands  those  ruins  a  thousand  generations  old,  and  con- 
temporary with  the  geological  epochs.  I  was  walking  on 
the  very  spot  where  the  contemporaries  of  the  first  man 
had  walked. 

Whilst  I  was  trying  to  fix  in  my  mind  every  detail  of 
this  grand  landscape.  Captain  Nemo  remained  motionless, 
as  if  petrified  in  mute  ecstasy,  leaning  on  a  mossy  stone. 
Was  he  dreaming  of  those  generations  long  since  disap- 
peared? Was  he  asking  them  the  secret  of  human  destiny? 
Was  it  here  this  strange  man  came  to  steep  himself  in 
historical  recollections,  and  live  again  this  ancient  life — 
he  who  wanted  no  modern  one?  What  would  I  not  have 
given  to  know  his  thoughts,  to  share  them,  to  understand 
them)'  We  remained  for  an  hour  at  this  place,  contem- 
plating 'the  vast  plain  under  the  brightness  of  the  lava, 
which  was  sometimes  wonderfully  intense.  Rapid  trem- 
blings ran  along  the  mountain  caused  by  internal  bubblings, 
deep  noises  distinctly  transmitted  through  the  liquid  me- 
dium were  echoed  with  majestic  grandeur.  At  this  moment 
the  moon  appeared  through  the  mass  of  waters,  and  threw 
her  pale  rays  on  the  buried  continent.  It  was  but  a  gleam, 
but  what  an  indescribable  effect!  The  captain  rose,  cast 
one  last  look  on  the  immense  plain,  and  then  bade  me  fol- 
low him. 

We  descended  the  mountain  rapidly,  and  the  mineral 


202  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.    "^ 

forests  once  passed,  I  saw  the  lantern  of  the  Nautilus 
shining  like  a  star.  The  captain  walked  straight  to  it, 
and  we  got  on  board  as  the  first  rays  of  the  light  whitened 
the  surface  of  the  ocean. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  SUBMARINE   COAL-MINES. 

The  next  day,  the  20th  of  February,  I  awoke  very  late; 
the  fatigues  of  the  previous  night  had  prolonged  my 
sleep  until  eleven  o'clock.  I  dressed  quickly,  and 
hastened  to  find  the  course  the  Nautilus  was  taking.  The 
instruments  showed  it  to  be  still  toward  the  south,  with 
ii  speed  of  twenty  miles  an  hour,  and  a  depth  of  fifty 
fiithoms. 

The  species  of  fish  here  did  not  differ  much  from  those 
already  noticed.  There  were  rays  of  giant  size,  five  yards 
long,  and  endowed  with  great  muscujar  strength,  which 
enabled  them  to  shoot  above  the  waves;  sharks  of  many 
kinds,  amongst  others  a  glaucus  fifteen  feet  long,  with 
triangular  sharp  teeth,  and  whose  transparency  rendered 
it  almost  invisible  in  the  water;  brown  sagrae;  humantins, 
prism-shaped  and  clad  with  a  tuberculous  hide,  stur- 
geons, resembling  their  congeners  of  the  Mediterranean; 
trumpet  syngnathes,  a  foot  and  a  half  long,  furnished 
with  grayish  bladders,  without  teeth  or  tongue,  and  as 
supple  as  snakes. 

Amongst  bony  fish,  Conseil  noticed  some  blackish  ma- 
kairas,  about  three  yards  long,  armed  at  the  upper  jaw 
with  a  piercing  sword;  other  bright-colored  creatures, 
known  at  the  time  of  Aristotle  by  the  name  of  the  sea- 
dragon,  which  are  dangerous  to  capture  on  account  of  the 
spikes  on  their  back;  also  some  coryphenes,  with  brown 
backs  marked  with  little  blue  stripes,  and  surrounded 
with  a  gold  border;  some  beautiful  dorades;  and  sword- 
fish  four-and-twenty  feet  long,  swimming  in  troops,  fierce 
animals,  but  rather  herbivorous  than  carnivorous. 

About  four  o'clock  the  soil,  generally  composed  of  a 
thick  mud  mixed  with  petrified  wood,  changed  by  degrees, 
and  it  became  more  stony,  and  seemed  strewn  with  con- 
glomerate and  pieces  of  basalt,  with  a  sprinkling  of  lava 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  203 

and  sulphurous  obsidian.  I  thought  a  mountainous  region 
was  succeeding  the  long  plains;  and  accordingly,  after  a 
few  evolutions  of  the  Nautilus,  I  saw  the  southei'ly  horizon 
blocked  by  a  high  wall  which  seemed  to  close  all  exit. 
Its  summit  evidently  passed  the  level  of  the  ocean.  It 
must  be  a  continent,  or  at  least  an  island — one  of  the 
Canaries  or  of  the  Cape  Verd  Islands.  The  bearings  not 
being  yet  taken,  perhaps  designedly,  I  was  ignorant  of  our 
exact  position.  In  any  case,  such  a  wall  seemed  to  me  to 
mark  the  limits  of  that  Atlantis  of  which  we  had  in  reality 
passf  J  over  only  the  smallest  part. 

Much  longer  should  I  have  remained  at  the  window  ad- 
miring the  beauties  of  sea  and  sky,  but  the  panels  closed. 
At  this  moment  the  Nautilus  arrived  at  the  side  of  this 
high  perpendicular  wall.  What  it  would  do  I  could  not 
guess.  I  returned  to  my  room;  it  no  longer  moved.  I  laid 
myself  down  with  the  full  intention  of  waking  after  a  few 
hours'  sleep;  but  it  was  eight  o'clock  the  next  day  when  I 
entered  the  saloon.  I  looked  at  the  manometer.  It  told 
me  that  the  Nautilus  was  floating  on  the  surface  of  the 
ocean.  Besides,  I  heard  steps  on  the  platform.  I  went 
to  the  panel.  It  was  open;  but  instead  of  broad  daylight, 
as  I  expected,  I  was  surrounded  by  profound  darkness. 
Where  were  we?  Was  I  mistaken?  Was  it  still  night? 
No,  not  a  star  was  shining,  and  night  has  not  that  utter 
darkness. 

I  knew  not  what  to  think,  when  a  voice  near  me  said: 

*'  Is  that  you.  Professor?" 

*'  Ah!  Captain,"  I  answered:  "  where  are  we?" 

"Under  grouhd,  sir." 

"Under  ground!"  I  exclaimsd.     ''And  the  Nautilus 
floating  still?" 

"  It  always  floats." 

"  But  I  do  not  understand." 

"  Wait  a  few  minutes,  our  lantern  will  be  lit,  and  if  you 
like  light  places,  y©u  will  be  satisfied." 

I  stood  on  the  platform  and  waited.  The  darkness  was 
so  complete  that  I  could  not  even  see  Captain  Nemo;  but 
looking  to  the  zenith,  exactly  above  my  head,  I  seemed  to 
catch  an  undecided  gleam,  a  kind  of  twilight  filling  a  cir- 
cular hole.  At  this  instant  the  lantern  was  lit,  and  its 
vividness  dispelled  the  faint  light.  I  closed  my  dazzled 
eyes  for  an  instant,  and  then  looked  again.  The  Nautilus 
r- 


204  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SBAS. 

was  stationary,  floating  near  a  mountain  which  formed  a  sort 
of  quay.  The  lake  then  supporting  it  was  a  lake  im- 
prisoned by  a  circle  of  walls,  measuring  two  miles  in  diam- 
eter and  six  in  circumference.  Its  level  (the  nianoroeter 
showed)  could  only  be  the  same  as  the  outaide  level,  for 
there  must  necessarily  be  a  communication  between  the 
lake  and  the  sea.  The  high  partitions,  leaning  forward  on 
their  base,  grew  into  a  vaulted  roof  bearing  the  shape  of 
an  immense  funnel  turned  upside  down,  the  height  being 
about  five  or  six  hundred  yards.  At  the  summit  was  a  cir- 
cular orifice,  by  which  1  had  caught  the  slight  gleam  of 
light,  evidently  daylight. 

*' Where  are  we?"  I  asked. 

"  In  the  very  heart  of  an  extinct  volcano,  the  interior 
of  which  has  been  invaded  by  the  sea  after  some  great 
convulsion  of  the  earth.  Whilst  you  were  sleeping.  Pro- 
fessor, the  Nautilus  penetrated  to  this  lagoon  by  a  natural 
canal,  which  opens  about  ten  yards  beneath  the  surface  of 
the  ocean.  This  is  its  harbor  of  refuge,  a  sure,  com- 
modious, and  mysterious  one,  sheltered  from  all  gales. 
Show  me,  if  you  can,  on  the  coasts  of  any  of  your  conti- 
nents or  islands,  a  road  which  can  give  such  perfect  refuge 
from  all  storms.'* 

"Certainly,*'  I  replied,  ''you  are  in  safety  here.  Captain 
Nemo.  Who  could  reach  you  in  the  heart  of  a  volcano? 
But  did  I  not  see  an  opening  at  its  summit?" 

"  Yes;  its  crater,  formerly  filled  with  lava,  vapor,  and 
flames,  and  which  now  gives  entrance  to  the  lifegiving  air 
we  breathe." 

"  But  what  is  this  volcanic  mountain?" 

"  It  belongs  to  one  of  the  numerous  islands  with  which 
this  sea  is  strewn — to  vessels  a  simple  sand-bank — to  us  an 
immense  cavern.  Chance  led  me  to  discover  it,  and  chance 
served  me  well." 

"But  of  what  use  is  this  refuge,  Captain?  The  Nau- 
tilus wants  no  port." 

"  No,  sir;  but  it  wants  electricity  to  make  it  move,  and 
the  wherewithal  to  make  the  electricity — sodium  to  feed 
the  elements,  coal  from  which  to  get  the  sodium,  and  a 
coal-mine  to  supply  the  coal.  And  exactly  on  this  spot 
the  sea  covers  entire  forests  embedded  during  the  geolog- 
ical periods,  now  mineralized,  and  transformed  into  coal; 
for  me  they  are  an  inexhausti  ble  mine," 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  206 

**your  men  follow  the  trade  of  miners  here,  then. 

Captain?" 

"Exactly  so.  These  mines  extend  under  the  wave^like 
the  mip«s  of  Newcastle.  Here,  in  their  diving-dresses, 
pickax  aud  shovel  in  hand,  my  men  extract  the  coal, 
which  1  do  not  even  ask  from  the  mines  of  the  earfch. 
When  I  burn  this  combustible  for  the  manufacture  of 
sodium,  the  smoke,  escaping  from  thecrator  of  the  mount- 
ain, gives  it  the  appearance  of  a  still  active  volcano." 

"  And  we  shall  see  your  companions  at  work?" 

"No;  not  this  time  at  least;  for  lam  in  a  hurry  to  con- 
tinue our  submarine  tour  of  the  earth.  Sol  shall  content 
myself  with  drawing  from  the  reserve  of  sodium  I  already 
possess.  The  time  for  loading  is  one  day  only,  and  we 
continue  our  voyage.  So  if  you  wish  to  go  over  the 
cavern,  and  make  the  round  of  the  lagoon,  you  must  take 
advantage  of  to-day,  M.  Aronnax." 

I  thanked  the  captain,  and  went  to  look  for  my  com- 
panions, who  had  not  yet  left  their  cabin.  J  invited  them 
to  follow  me  without  saying  where  we  were.  They 
mounted  the  platform.  Conseil,  who  was  astonished  at 
nothing,  seemed  to  look  upon  it  as  quite  natural  that  he 
should  wake  under  a  mountain,  after  having  fallen  asleep 
under  the  waves.  But  Ned  Land  thought  of  nothing  but 
finding  whether  the  cavern  had  any  exit.  After  breakfast, 
about  ten  o'clock,  we  went  down  on  to  the  mountain. 

"  Here  we  are,  once  more  on  land,"  said  Conseil. 

"I  do  not  call  this  land,"  said  the  Canadian.  "And 
besides,  we  are  not  on  it,  but  beneath  it." 

Between  the  walls  of  the  mountain  and  the  waters  of  the 
lake  lay  a  sandy  shore,  which,  at  its  greatest  |breadth, 
measured  five  hundred  feet.  On  this  soil  one  might  easily 
make  the  tour  of  the  lake.  But  the  base  of  the  high  parti- 
tions was  stony  ground,  with  volcanic  blocks  and  enormous 
pumice-stones  lying  in  picturesque  heaps.  All  these  de- 
tached masses,  covered  with  enamel,  polished  by  the  action 
of  the  subterraneous  fires,  shone  resplendent  by  the  light 
of  our  electric  lantern.  The  mica-dust  from  the  shore, 
rising  under  our  feet,  flew  like  a  cloud  of  sparks.  Th» 
bottom  now  rose  sensibly,  and  we  soon  arrived  at  long  cir- 
cuitous slopes,  or  inclined  planes,  which  took  us  higher 
by  degrees;  but  we  were  obliged  to  walk  carefully  amon|^ 
these  conglomerates,  bound  by  no  current;  the  tee^  dip- 


206  30,000    LEAGUES   UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

ping  on  the  glassy  trachyte,  composed  of  crystal,  feldspar 
and  quartz. 

The  volcanic  nature  of  this  enormous  excavation  was 
confirmed  on  all  sides,  and  I  pointed  it  out  to  my  compan- 
ions. 

**  Picture  to  yourselves,"  said  I,  "  what  this  crater  must 
have  been  when  filled  with  boiling  lava,  and  when  the 
level  of  the  incandescent  liquid  rose  to  the  orifice  of  the 
mountain,  as  though  melted  on  the  top  of  a  hot  plate." 

*' I  can  picture  it  perfectly,"  said  Conseil.  *' But,  sir, 
will  you  tell  me  why  the  Great  Architect  has  suspended 
operations,  and  how  it  is  that  the  furnace  is  replaced  by 
the  quiet  waters  of  the  lake?" 

"  Most  probably,  Conseil,  because  some  convulsion  be- 
neath the  ocean  produced  that  very  opening  which  has 
served  as  a  passage  for  the  Nautilus.  Then  the  water 
of  the  Atlantic  rushed  into  the  interior  of  the  mountain. 
There  must  have  been  a  terrible  struggle  between  two  ele- 
ments, a  struggle  which  ended  in  the  victory  of  Neptune. 
But  many  ages  have  run  out  since  then,  and  the  sub- 
merged volcano  is  now  a  peaceable  grotto." 

"  Very  well,"  replied  Ned  Land;  "I  accept  the  expla- 
nation, sir;  but,  in  our  own  interests,  I  regret  that  th<} 
opening  of  which  you  speak  was  not  made  above  the  level 
of  the  sea." 

"But,  friend  Ned,"  said  Conseil,  *'if  the  passage  had 
not  been  under  the  sea,  the  Nautilus  could  not  have  gone 
through  it." 

We  continued  ascending.  The  steps  became  more  and 
more  perpendicular  and  narrow.  Deep  excavations,  which 
we  were  obliged  to  cross,  cut  them  here  and  there;  slop- 
ing masses  had  to  be  turned.  We  slid  upon  our  knees 
and  crawled  along.  But  Conseil's  dexterity  and  the 
Canadian's  strength  surmounted  all  obstacles.  At  a 
height  of  about  thirty-one  feet,  the  nature  of  the  ground 
ciianged  without  becoming  more  practicable.  To  the 
conglomerate  and  trachyte  succeeded  black  basjilt,  the  first 
dispread  in  layers  full  of  bubbles,  the  latter  forming  regu- 
lar prisms,  placed  like  a  colonnade  supporting  the  spring 
of  the  immense  vault,  an  admirable  specimen  of  natural 
architecture.  Between  the  blocks  of  basalt  wound  long 
streams  of  lava,  long  since  grown  cold,  incrusted  with 
bituminous  rays;  and  in  some  places  there  were  spread 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  207 

large  carpets  of  sulphur.  A  more  powerful  light  shone 
through  the  upper  crater,  shedding  a  vague  glimmer  over 
these  volcanic  depressions  forever  buried  in  the  bosom  of 
tliis  extinguished  mountain.  But  our  upward  march  was 
soon  stopped  at  a  height  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  by  impassable  obstacles.  There  was  a  complete 
Tanked  arch  overhanging  us,  and  our  ascent  was  changed 
to  a  circular  walk.  At  the  last  change  vegetable  life  be- 
gan to  struggle  with  the  niinerah  Some  shrubs,  and  even 
some  trees,  grew  from  the  walls.  I  recognized  some 
euphorbias,  with  the  caustic  sugar  coming  from  them; 
heliotropes,  quite  incapable  of  justifying  their  name,  sadly 
drooped  their  clusters  of  flowers,  both  their  color  and  per- 
fume half  gone.  Here  and  there  some  chrysanthemums 
grew  timidly  at  the  foot  of  an  aloe  with  long  sickly-look- 
ing leaves.  But  between  the  streams  of  lava,  I  saw  some 
little  violets  still  slightly  perfumed,  and  I  admit  that  I 
smelt  them  with  delight.  Perfume  is  the  soul  of  the 
flower,  and  sea-flowers,  those  splendid  hydrophytes,  have 
no  soul. 

We  had  arrived  at  the  foot  of  some  sturdy  dragon-trees, 
which  had  pushed  aside  the  rocks  with  their  strong  roots, 
when  Ned  Land  exclaimed: 

"Ah!  sir,  a  hive!  a  hive!" 

"A  hive!"  I  replied  with  a  gesture  of  incredulity. 

"  Yes,  a  hive,"  repeated  the  Canadian,  "  and  bees  hum- 
ming round  it." 

I  approached,  and  was  bound  to  believe  my  own  eyes. 
There,  at  a  hole  bored  in  one  of  the  dragon-trees,  were 
gome  thousands  of  these  ingenious  insects,  so  common  in 
all  the  Canaries,  and  whose  produce  is  so  much  esteemed. 
Naturally  enough,  the  Canadian  wished  to  gather  the 
honey,  and  I  could  not  well  oppose  his  wish.  A  quantity 
of  dry  leaves,  mixed  with  sulphur,  he  lit  with  a  spark 
from  his  flint,  and  he  began  to  smoke  out  the  bees.  The 
humming  ceased  by  degrees,  and  the  hive  eventually 
yielded  several  pounds  of  the  sweetest  honey,  with  which 
Ned  Land  filled  his  haversack. 

"When  I  have  mixed  this  honey  with  the  paste  of  the 
artocarpus,"  said  he,  "I  shall  be  able  to  offer  you  a  sac- 
culent  cake." 

"Upon  my  word,"  said  Conseil,  "it  will  be  ginger- 
bread." 


208  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

"  Never  mind  the  gingerbread,"  said  I;  "  let  us  continue 
our  interesting  walk." 

At  every  turn  of  the  path  we  were  following,  the  lake 
appeared  in  all  its  length  and  breadth.  The  lantern  lit  up 
the  whole  of  its  peaceable  surface  which  knew  neither 
ripple  nor  wave.  The  Nautilus  remained  perfectly  im- 
movable. On  the  platform,  and  on  the  mountain,  the 
ship's  crew  were  working  like  black  shadows,  clearly 
carved  against  the  luminous  atmosphere.  We  were  now 
going  round  the  highest  crest  of  the  first  layers  oi  rock 
which  upheld  the  roof.  I  then  saw  that  bees  were  not  the 
only  representatives  of  the  animal  kingdom  in  the  interior 
of  this  volcano.  Birds  of  prey  hovered  here  and  there  in 
the  shadows,  or  fled  from  their  nests  on  the  top  of  the 
rocks.  There  were  sparrow-hawks  with  white  breasts,  and 
kestrels,  and  down  the  slopes  scampered,  with  their  long 
legs,  several  fine  fat  bustards.  I  leave  any  one  to  imagine 
the  covetousness  of  the  Canadian  at  the  sight  of  this  savory 
game,  and  whether  he  did  not  regret  having  r»o  gun.  But 
he  did  his  best  to  replace  the  lead  by  stones,  and  after 
several  fruitless  attempts,  he  succeeded  in  wounding  a 
magnificent  bird.  To  say  that  he  risked  his  life  twenty 
times  before  reaching  it,  is  but  the  truth;  but  he  managed 
so  well,  that  the  creature  joined  the  honey  cakes  in  his 
bag.  We  were  now  obliged  to  descend  toward  the  shore, 
the  crest  becoming  impracticable.  Above  us  the  crater 
seemed  to  gape  like  the  mouth  of  a  well.  From  this  place 
the  sky  could  be  clearly  seen,  and  clouds,  dissipated  by  the 
west  wind,  leaving  behind  them,  even  on  the  summit  of 
the  mountain,  their  misty  remnants — certain  proof  that 
they  were  only  moderately  high,  for  the  volcano  did  not 
rise  more  than  eight  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
ocean.  Half  an  hour  after  the  Canadian's  last  exploit  we 
had  regained  the  inner  shore.  Here  the  flora  was  rep- 
resented by  large  carpets  of  marine  crystal,  a  little  um- 
belliferous plant  very  good  to  pickle,  which  also  bears  the 
name  of  pierce-stone,  and  sea-fennel.  Conseil  gathered 
some  bundles  of  it.  As  to  the  fauna,  it  might  be  counted 
by  thousands  of  Crustacea  of  all  sorts,  lobsters,  crabs, 
palsemons,  spideH^crabs,  chameleon  shrimps,  and  a  large 
number  of  shells,  rockfish  and  limpets.  Three-quarters 
of  an  hour  kter  we  had  finishea  our  circuitous  wait,  and 
were  on  board.     The  crew  had  just  finished  loading  the 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS.  209 

sodium,  and  the  Nautilus  could  have  left  that  instant. 
But  Captain  Nemo  gave  no  order.  Did  he  wish  to  wait 
until  night,  and  leave  the  submarine  passage  secretly? 
Perhaps  so.  Whatever  it  might  be,  the  next  day  the 
Nautilus,  having  left  its  port,  steered  clear  of  all  land  at  a 
few  yards  beneath  the  waves  of  the  Atlantic. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  SARGASSO   SEA. 

That  day  the  Nautilus  crossed  a  singular  [part  of  the 
Atlantic  Ocean.  No  one  can  be  ignorant  of  the  existence 
of  a  current  of  warm  water,  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Gulf  Stream.  After  leaving  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  about 
the  twenty -fifth  degree  of  north  latitude,  this  current  di- 
vides into  two  arms,  the  principle  one  going  toward  the 
coast  of  Ireland  and  Norway,  whilst  the  second  bends  to 
the  south  about  the  height  of  the  Azores;  then,  touching 
the  African  shore,  and  describing  a  lengthened  oval,  re- 
turns to  the  Antilles.  This  second  arm — it  is  rather  a 
collar  than  an  arm — surrounds  with  its  circle  of  warm 
water  that  portion  of  the  cold,  quiet,  immovable  ocean 
called  the  Sargasso  Sea,  a  perfect  lake  in  the  open  Atlan- 
tic; it  takes  no  less  than  three  years  for  the  great  current 
to  pass  around  it.  Such  was  the  region  the  Nautikis  was 
now  visiting,  a  perfect  meadow,  a  close  carpet  of  sea- weed, 
fucus,  and  tropical  berries,  so  thick  and  so  compact  that 
the  stem  of  a  vessel  could  hardly  tear  its  way  through  it. 
And  Captain  Nemo,  not  wishing  to  entangle  his  screw  in 
this  herbaceous  mass,  kept  some  yards  beneath  the  surface 
of  the  waves.  The  name  Sargasso  comes  from  the  Spanish 
word  "  sargazzo,"  which  signifies  kelp.  This  kelp  or 
varech,  or  berry-plant,  is  the  principle  formation  of  this 
immense  bank.  And  this  is  the  reason,  according  to  the 
learned  Maury,  the  author  of  "The  Physical  Geography 
of  the  Globe,"  why  these  hydrophites  unite  in  the  peace- 
ful basin  of  the  Atlantic:  The  only  explanation  which 
can  be  given,  he  says,  seems  to  me  to  result  from  the  ex- 
perience known  to  all  the  world.  Place  in  a  vase  some 
fragments  of  cork  or  other  floating  body,  and  give  to  tho 
water  in  the  vase  a  circular  movement,  the  scattered  fra^ 


^10  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

ments  will  unite  in  a  group  in  the  center  of  the  liquid 
surface,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  part  less  agitated.  In  the 
phenomenon  we  are  considering,  the  Atlantic  is  the  vase, 
the  Gulf  Stream  the  circular  current,  and  the  Sargasso 
Sea  the  central  point  at  which  the  floating  bodies  unite. 

I  share  Maury's  opinion,  and  I  was  able  to  study  the 
phenomenon  in  the  very  midst,  where  vessels  rarely  pene- 
trate. Above  us  floated  products  of  all  kinds,  heaped  up 
among  these  brownish  plants;  trunks  of  trees  torn  from 
the  Andes  or  the  Eocky  Mountains,  a-nd  floated  by  the 
Amazon  or  the  Mississippi;  numerous  wrecks,  remains  of 
keels,  or  ships'  bottoms,  side  planks  stove  in,  and  so 
weighted  with  shells  and  barnacles  that  they  could  not 
again  rise  to  the  surface.  And  time  will  one  day  justify 
Maury's  other  opmion,  that  these  substances  thus  accum- 
ulated for  ages  will  become  petrified  by  the  action  of  the 
water,  and  will  then  form  inexhaustible  coal  mines — a 
precious  reserve  prepared  by  far-seeing  nature  for  the 
moment  when  men  shall  have  exhausted  the  mines  of  con- 
tinents. 

In  the  midst  of  this  inextricable  mass  of  plants  and  sea- 
weed, I  noticed  some  charming  pink  halcyons  and  actiniae, 
with  their  long  tentacles  trailing  after  them;  medjsae, 
green,  red,  and  blue,  and  the  great  rhyostoms  of  Cuvier, 
the  large  umbrella  of  which  was  bordered  and  festooned 
with  violet. 

All  the  day  of  the  22d  of  February  we  passed  in  the 
Sargasso  Sea,  where  such  fish  as  are  partial  to  marine 
plants  and  fuci  find  abundant  nourishment.  The  next, 
the  ocean  had  returned  to  its  accustomed  aspect.  From 
this  time  for  nineteen  days,  from  the  23d  of  February  to 
the  12th  of  March,  the  Nautilus  kept  in  the  middle  of 
the  Atlantic,  carrying  us  at  a  constant  speed  of  a  hundred 
leagues  in  twenty-four  hours.  Captain  Nemo  evidently 
intended  accomplishing  his  submarine  programme,  and  I 
imagined  that  he  intended,  after  doubling  Cape  Horn,  to 
return  to  the  Australian  seas  of  the  Pacific.  Ned  Land 
had  cause  for  fear.  In  these  large  seas,  void  of  islands, 
we  could  not  attempt  to  leave  the  boat.  Nor  had  we  any 
means  of  opposing  Captajn  Nemo's  will.  Our  only  course 
was  to  submit;  but  what  we  could  neither  gain  by  force 
nor  cunning,  I  liked  to  think  might  be  obtained  by  per- 
suasion.    This  voyage  ended,  would   he  not  consent  to 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  21? 

restore  our  liberty,  under  an  oath  never  to  reveal  his  exist- 
ence?— an  oath  of  honor  which  we  should  have  religiously 
kept.  But  we  must  consider  that  delicate  question  with 
the  captain.  But  was  I  free  to  claim  this  liberty.  Had 
he  not  himself  said  from  the  beginning,  in  the  firmest 
manner,  that  the  secret  of  his  life  exacted  from  him  our 
lasting  imprisonment  onboard  the  Nautilus?  And  would 
not  my  four  months'  silence  appear  to  him  a  tacit  accept- 
ance of  our  situation?  And  would  not  a  return  to  the 
subject  result  in  raising  suspicions  which  might  be  hurtful 
to  our  projects  if  at  some  future  time  a  favorable  oppor- 
tunity offered  to  return  to  them? 

During  the  nineteen  days  mentioned  above,  no  incident 
of  any  note  happened  to  signalize  our  voyage.  I  saw  little 
of  the  captain;  he  was  at  work.  In  the  library  I  often 
found  his  books  left  open,  especially  those  on  Natural 
History.  My  work  on  submarine  depths,  conned  over  by 
him,  was  covered  with  marginal  notes,  often  contradicting 
my  theories  and  systems;  but  the  captain  contented  him- 
self with  thus  purging  my  work;  it  was  very  rare  for  him 
to  discuss  it  with  me.  Sometimes  I  heard  the  melancholy 
tone  of  his  organ;  but  only  at  night,  in  the  midst  of  the 
deepest  obscurity,  when  the  Nautilus  slept  upon  the  de- 
serted ocean.  During  this  part  of  our  voyage  we  sailed 
whole  days  on  the  surface  of  the  waves.  The  sea  seemed 
abandoned.  A  few  sailing-vessels,  on  the  road  to  India, 
were  making  for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  One  day  we 
were  followed  by  the  boats  of  a  whaler,  who,  no  doubt, 
took  us  for  some  enormous  whale  of  great  price;  but  Cap- 
tain Nemo  did  not  wish  the  worthy  fellows  to  lose  their 
time  and  trouble,  so  ended  the  chase  by  plunging  under 
the  water.  Our  navigation  continued  until  the  13th  o\ 
March;  that  day  the  Nautilus  was  employed  in  taking 
soundings,  which  greatly  interested  me.  We  had  then 
made  about  13,000  leagues  since  our  departure  from  the 
high  seas  of  the  Pacific.  The  bearings  gave  us  45^  37' 
south  latitude,  and  37®  53'  west  longitude.  It  was  the 
same  water  in  which  Captain  Denham  of  the  Herald 
sounded  7,000  fathoms  without  finding  the  bottom.  There, 
too,  Lieutenant  Parker,  of  the  American  frigate  Congress, 
could  not  touch  the  bottom  with  15,140  yards.  Captain 
Nemo  intended  seeking  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  by  a  diagonal 
sufficiently  lengthened  by  means  of  lateral  planes  placed 


813  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

at  an  angle  of  forfcy-five  degrees  with  the  water-line  of  the 
Nautilus.  Then  the  screw  set  to  work  at  its  maximum 
speed,  its  four  blades  beating  the  waves  with  indescribable 
force.  Under  this  powerful  pressure  the  hull  of  the  Nau- 
tilus quivered  like  a  sonorous  chord,  and  sank  regularly 
under  the  water. 

At  7,000  fathoms  I  saw  some  blackish  tops  rising  from 
the  midst  of  the  waters;  but  these  summits  might  belong 
to  high  mountains  like  the  Himalayas  or  Mount  Blanc, 
even  higher;  and  the  depth  of  the  abyss  remained  incal- 
culable. The  Nautilus  descended  still  lower,  in  spite  of 
the  great  pressure.  I  felt  the  steel  plates  tremble  at  the 
fastenings  of  the  bolts:  its  bars  bent;  its  partitions  groan- 
ed; the  windows  of  the  saloon  seemed  to  curve  under  the 
pressure  of  the  waters.  And  this  firm  structure  would 
doubtless  have  yielded,  if,  as  its  captain  had  said,  it  had 
not  been  capable  of  resistance  like  a  solid  block.  In  skirt- 
ing the  declivity  of  these  rocks,  lost  under  the  water,  I 
still  saw  some  shells,  some  surpulse  and  spinorbes,  still 
living,  and  some  specimens  of  asteriads.  But  soon  this 
last  representative  of  animal  life  disappeared,  and  at  the 
depth  of  more  than  three  leagues,  the  Nautilus  had  passed 
the  limits  of  submarine  existence,  even  as  a  balloon  does 
when  it  rises  above  the  respirable  atmosphere.  We  had 
attained  a  depth  of  16,000  yards  (four  leagues),  and  the 
sides  of  the  Nautilus  then  bore  a  pressure  of  1,600  atmos- 
pheres, that  is  to  say,  3,200  pounds  to  each  square  two- 
fifths  of  an  inch  of  its  surface. 

"  What  a  situation  to  be  in!"  I  exclaimed.  *'  To  over- 
run these  deep  regions  where  man  has  never  trod.  Look, 
Captain,  look  at  these  magnificent  rocks,  these  uninhab- 
ited grottoes,  these  lowest  receptacles  of  the  globe,  where 
life  is  no  longer  possible!  What  unknown  sights  are  here! 
Whv  should  we  be  unable  to  preserve  a  remembrance  of 
them?" 

"  Would  you  like  to  carry  away  more  than  the  remem- 
brance?" said  Captain  Nemo. 

*'  What  do  you  mean  by  those  words?" 

"  I  mean  to  say  that  nothing  is  easier  than  to  take  a 
photographic  view  of  this  submarine  region." 

I  had  no  time  to  express  my  surprise  at  this  new  propo- 
sition, when  at  Captain  Nemo's  call,  an  objective  was 
brought  into  the  saloon.     Through  the   widely   opened 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THB    SEAS.  213 

panel,  the  liquid  mass  was  bright  with  electricity,  which 
was  distributed  with  such  uniformity,  that  not  a  shadow, 
not  a  gradation,  was  to  be  seen  in  our  manufactured  light. 
The  Nautilus  remained  motionless,  the  force  of  its  screw 
subdued  by  the  inclination  of  its  planes;  the  instrument 
was  propped  on  the  bottom  of  the  oceanic  site,  and  in  a  few 
seconds  we  had  obtained  a  perfect  negative,  in  which 
could  be  seen  those  primitive  rocks,  which  have  never 
looked  upon  the  light  of  heaven;  that  lowest  granite 
which  forms  the  foundation  of  the  globe;  those  deep 
grottoes,  woven  in  the  stony  mass  whose  outlines  were 
of  such  sharpness,  and  the  border  lines  of  which  are 
marked  in  black,  as  if  done  by  the  brush  of  some 
Flemish  artist.  Beyond  that  again  a  horizon  of 
mountains,  an  admirable  undulating  line,  forming  the 
perspective  of  the  landscape.  I  cannot  describe  the  effect 
of  these  smooth  black,  polished  rocks,  without  moss, 
without  a  spot,  and  of  strange  forms,  standing  solidly  on 
the  sandy  carpet,  which  sparkled  under  the  jets  of  our 
electric  light. 

But  the  operation  being  over.  Captain  Nemo  said, 
"  Let  us  go  up;  we  must  not  abuse  our  position,  nor  ex- 
pose the  Nautilus  too  long  to  such  great  pressure." 

"  Go  up  again!"  I  exclaimed. 

"Hold  well  on." 

I  had  not  time  to  understand  why  the  Captain  cautioned 
me  thus,  when  I  was  thrown  forward  on  to  the  carpet. 
At  a  signal  from  the  Captain,  its  screw  was  shipped,  and 
its  blades  raised  vertically;  the  Nautilus  shot  into  the  air 
like  a  balloon,  rising  with  stunning  rapidity,  and  cutting 
the  mass  of  waters  with  a  sonorous  agitation.  Nothing 
was  visible;  and  in  four  minutes  it  had  shot  through  the 
four  leagues  which  separated  it  from  the  ocean,  and,  after 
emerging  like  a  flying-fish,  fell,  making  the  waves  rebound 
to  an  enormous  height. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

CACHALOTS  AND  WHALES. 

During  the  nights  of  the  13th  and  14th  of  March,  the 
Nautilus  returned  to  its  southerly  course.  I  fancied  that, 
when  on  a  level  with  Cape  Horn,  he  would  turn  the  helm 


214  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS, 

westward,  in  order  to  beat  the  Pacific  seas,  and  so  com- 
plete the  tour  of  the  world.  He  did  nothing  of  the  kind, 
.but  continued  on  his  way  to  the  southern  regions.  Where 
was  he  going  to?  To  the  pole?  It  was  madness!  I  began 
to  think  that  the  captain's  temerity  justified  Ned  Land's 
fears.  For  some  time  past  the  Canadian  had  not  spoken 
to  me  of  his  projects  of  flight,  he  was  less  communicative, 
almost  silent.  I  could  see  that  this  lengthened  imprison- 
ment was  weighing  upon  him,  and  I  felt  that  rage  was 
burning  within  him.  When  he  met  the  captain,  his  eyes 
lit  up  with  suppressed  auger;  and  I  feared  that  his  nat- 
ural violence  would  lead  him  into  some  extreme.  That 
day,  the  14th  of  March,  Consoil  and  he  came  to  me  in  my 
room.     I  inquired  the  cause  of  their  visit. 

*'  A  simple  question  to  ask  you,  sir,"  replied  the  Cana- 
dian. 

"  Speak,  Ned." 

**  How  many  men  are  there  on  board  the  Nautilus,  do 
you  think?" 

'.'  I  cannot  tell,  my  friend." 

"  1  should  say  that  its  working  does  not  require  a  large 
crew." 

"  Certainly,  under  existing  conditions,  ten  men,  at  the 
most,  ought  to  be  enough." 

"  Well,  why  should  there  be  any  more?" 

"Why?"  I  replied,  looking  fixedly  at  Ned  Land,  whose 
meaning  was  easy  to  guess.  "  Because,"  I  added,  '*  if  my 
surmises  are  correct,  and  if  I  have  well  understood  the 
captain's  existence,  the  Nautilus  is  not  only  a  vessel,  it  is 
also  a  place  of  refuge  for  those  who,  like  its  commander, 
have  broken  every  tie  upon  earth." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  said  Conseil;  "  but,  in  any  case,  the 
Nautilus  can  only  contain  a  certain  number  of  men. 
Could  not  you,  sir,  estimate  their  maximum?" 

"How,  Conseil?" 

"By  calculation;  given  the  size  of  the  vessel,  which 
you  know,  sir^  and  consequently  the  quantity  of  air  it 
contains,  knowing  also  how  much  each  man  expends  at  a 
breath,  and  comparing  these  results  with  the  fact  that  the 
Nautilus  is  obliged  to  go  to  the  surface  every  twenty-four 
hours." 

Conseil  had  not  finished  the  sentence  before  I  saw  what 
he  was  driving  at. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  215 

**  I  understand,"  said  I,  "  but  that  calculation,  though 
simple  enough,  can  give  but  a  very  uncertain  result." 

*'  Never  mind,"  said  Ned  Land,  urgently. 

"  Here  it  is,  then,"said  I.  "  In  one  hour  each  man  con- 
sumes the  oxygen  contained  in  twenty  gallons  of  air;  and 
in  twenty-four,  that  contained  in  480  gallons.  We  must, 
therefore,  find  how  many  times  480  gallons  of  air  the  Nau- 
tilus contains." 

*'  Just  so,"  said  Conseil. 

"Or,"  I  continued,  "the  size  of  the  Nautilus  being 
1,500  tons,  and  one  ton  holding  200  gallons,  it  contains 
300,000  gallons  of  air,  which,  divided  by  480  gives  a  quo- 
tient of  625.  Which  means  to  say,  strictly  speaking,  that 
tlie  air  contained  in  the  Nautilus  would  suffice  for  625 
men  for  twenty-four  hours." 

*'Six  hundred  and  twenty-five!"  repeated  Ned. 

"  But  remember  that  all  of  us,  passengers,  sailors,  and 
oflBcers  included,  would  not  form  a  tenth  part  of  that 
number." 

''Still  too  many  for  three  men,"  murmured  Conseil. 

The  Canadian  shook  his  head,  passed  his  hand  across 
his  forehead,  and  left  the  room  without  answering, 

'•'  Will  you  allow  me  to  make  one  observation,  sir?"  said 
Conseil.  "■  Poor  Ned  is  longing  for  everything  that  he 
cannot  have.  His  past  life  is  always  present  to  him;  every- 
thing that  we  are  forbidden  he  regrets.  His  head  is  full 
of  old  recollections.  And  we  must  understand  him.  What 
has  he  to  do  here?  Nothing;  he  is  not  learned  like  you, 
sir;  and  has  not  the  same  taste  for  the  beauties  of  the  sea 
that  we  have.  He* would  risk  everything  to  be  able  to  go 
once  more  into  a  tavern  in  his  own  country." 

Certainly  the  monotony  on  board  must  seem  intolerable 
to  the  Canadian,  accustomed  as  he  was  to  a  life  of  liberty 
and  activity.  Events  were  rare  which  could  rouse  him 
to  any  show  of  spirit;  but  that  day  an  event  did  happen 
which  recalled  the  bright  days  of  the  harpooner.  About 
eleven  in  the  morning,  being  on  the  surface  of  the  ocean, 
the  Nautilus  fell  in  with  a  troop  of  whales — an  encounter 
which  did  not  astonish  me,  knowing  that  these  creatures, 
hunted  to  the  death,  had  taken  refuge  in  high  latitudes. 
We  were  seated  on  the  platform  with  a  quiet  sea.  The 
month  of  March  in  those  latitudes  gave  us  some  lovely 
autumnal  days.     It  was  the  Canadian — he  could  not  be 


216  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

mistaken — who  signaled  a  whale  on  the  eastern  horizon. 
Looking  attentively,  one  might  see  its  black  back  rise  and 
fall  with  the  waves  five  miles  from  the  Nautilus. 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  Ned  Land,  "if  I  was  on  board  a 
whaler  now,  such  a  meeting  would  give  me  pleasure.  It 
is  one  of  large  size.  See  with  what  strength  its  blow-holes 
throw  up  columns  of  air  and  steam!  Confound  it,  why 
am  I  bound  to  these  steel  plates?" 

"What,  Ned,"  said  I,  "you  have  not  forgotten  your 
old  ideas  of  fishing?" 

"  Can  a  whale-fisher  ever  forget  his  old  trade,  sir?  Can 
he  ever  tire  of  the  emotions  caused  by  such  a  chase?" 

"  You  have  never  fished  in  these  seas,  Ned?" 

"Never,  sir;  in  the  northern  only,  and  as  much  in 
Behring  as  in  Davis  Straits." 

"  Then  the  southern  whale  is  still  unknown  to  you.  It 
is  the  Greenland  whale  you  have  hunted  up  to  this  time, 
and  that  would  not  risk  passing  through  the  warm  waters 
of  the  equator.  Whales  are  localized  according  to  their 
kinds,  in  certain  seas  which  they  never  le&ve.  And  if  one 
of  these  creatures  went  from  Behring  to  Davis  Straits,  it 
must  be  simply  because  there  is  a  passage  from  one  sea  to 
the  other,  either  on  the  American  or  the  Asiatic  sides." 

"  In  that  case,  as  I  have  never  fished  in  these  seas,  I  do 
not  know  the  kind  of  whale  frequenting  them." 

"I  have  told  you,  Ned." 

"  A  greater  reason  for  making  their  acquaintance,"  said 
Con  sell. 

"Look!  look!"  exclaimed  the  Canadian,  "they  ap- 
proach; they  aggravate  me;  they  know  that  I  cannot  get 
at  them!" 

Ned  stamped  his  feet.  His  hand  trembled,  as  he 
grasped  an  imaginary  harpoon. 

"Are  these  cetacea  as  large  as  those  of  the  northern 
seas?"  asked  he. 

"Very  nearly,  Ned." 

"  Because  I  have  seen  large  whales,  sir,  whales  meas- 
uring a  hundred  feet.  I  have  even  been  told  that  those 
of  Hullamoch  and  Umgallick,  of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  are 
sometimes  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long." 

"*  That  seems  to  me  exaggeration.  These  creatures  are 
only  balaenopterons,  provided  with  dorsal  fins;  and,  like 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  ^  217 

the  cachalots,  are  generally  much  smaller  than  the  Green- 
land whale." 

"  Ah!"  exclaimed  the  Canadian,  whose  eyes  had  never 
left  the  ocean,  "they  are  coming  nearer;  they  are  in  the 
same  water  as  the  Nautilus!" 

Then  returning  to  the  conversation,  he  said: 

"  You  spoke  of  the  cachalot  as  a  small  creature.  1  have 
heard  of  gigantic  ones.  They  are  intelligent  cetacea.  It 
is  said  of  some  that  they  cover  themselves  with  sea-weed 
and  fucus,  and  then  are  taken  for  islands.  People  encamp 
upon  them,  and  settle  there;  light  a  fire " 

"  And  build  houses,"  said  Conseil. 

**  Yes,  joker,"  said  Ned  Land.  "  And  one  fine  day  the 
creature  plunges,  carrying  with  it  all  the  inhabitants  to 
the  bottom  of  the  sea." 

"  Something  like  the  travels  of  Sindbad  the  Sailor,"  I 
replied,  laughing. 

'*  Ah!"  suddenly  exclaimed  Ned  Land,  '*  it  is  not  one 
whale;  there  are  ten — there  are  twenty — it  is  a  whole 
troop!  And  I  not  able  to  do  anything!  hands  and  feet 
tied!" 

"But,  friend  Ned,"  said  Conseil,  "  why  do  you  not  ask 
Captain  Nemo's  permission  to  chase  them?" 

Conseil  had  not  finished  his  sentence  when  Ned  Land 
had  lowered  himself  through  the  panel  to  seek  the  Cap- 
tain. A  few  minutes  afterward  the  two  appeared  together 
on  the  platform. 

Captain  Nemo  watched  the  troop  of  cetacea  playing  on 
the  waters  about  a  mile  from  the  Nautilus. 

"They  are  southern  whales,"  said  he;  "there  goes  the 
fortune  of  a  whole  fleet  of  whalers." 

"Well,  sir,"  asked  the  Canadian,  "can  1  not  chase 
them  if  only  to  remind  me  of  my  old  trade  of  harpooner?" 

"  And  to  what  purpose?"  replied  Captain  Nemo;  "  only 
to  destroy!  We  have  nothing  to  do  with  whale-oil  on 
board." 

"But,  sir,"  continued  the  Canadian,  "in  the  Red  Sea 
you  allowed  us  to  follow  the  dugong." 

"  Then  it  was  to  procure  fresh  meat  for  my  crew.  Here 
it  would  be  killing  for  killing's  sake.  I  know  that  is  a 
privilege  reserved  for  man,  but  1  do  not  approve  of  such 
murderous  pastime.  In  destroying  the  southern  whale 
(like  the  Greenland  whale,  an  inoffensive  pxeature),  your 


218  ,20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

traders  do  a  culpable  action,  Master  Land.  They  have 
already  depopulated  the  whole  of  BaflBn's  Bay,  and  are 
annihilating  a  class  of  useful  animals.  Leave  the  unfort- 
unate cetacea  alone.  They  have  plenty  of  natural  ene- 
mies— caclialots,  sword-fish,  and  saw-fish — without  your 
troubling  them." 

The  captain  was  right.  The  barbarous  and  incon- 
siderate greed  of  these  fishermen  will  one  day  cause  the 
disappearance  of  the  last  whale  in  the  ocean.  Ned  Land 
whistled  "  Yankee  Doodle  "  between  his  teeth,  thrust  his 
hands  into  his  pockets,  and  turned  his  back  upon  us.  But 
Captain  Nemo  vvatched  the  troop  of  cetacea,  and  address- 
ing me  said: 

"  I  was  right  in  saying  that  whales  had  natural  enemies 
enough,  without  counting  man.  These  will  have  plenty 
to  do  before  long.  Do  you  see,  M.  Aronnax,  about  eight 
miles  to  leeward,  tliose  blackish  moving  points?" 

*'  Yes,  Captain,"  I  replied. 

"  Those  are  cachalots — terrible  animals,  which  I  have 
sometimes  met  in  troops  of  two  or  three  hundred.  As  to 
tliose,  they  are  cruel,  mischievous  creatures;  they  would 
be  right  in  exterminating  them." 

The  Canadian  turned  quickly  at  the  last  words. 

"  Well,  Captain,"  said  he,  "  it  is  still  time,  in  the  in- 
terest of  the  whales." 

"It  is  useless  to  expose  one's  self,  Professor.  The  Nau- 
tilus will  disperse  them.  It  is  armed  with  a  steel  spur  as 
good  as  Master  Land's  harpoon,  I  imagine." 

The  Canadian  did  not  put  himself  out  enough  to  shrug 
his  shoulders.  Attack  cetacea  with  blows  of  a  spur!  Who 
had  ever  heard  of  such  a  thing? 

"  Wait,  M.  Aronnax,"  said  Captain  Nemo.  ''We  will 
show  you  something  you  have  never  yet  seen.  We  have 
no  pity  for  these  ferocious  creatures.  They  are  nothing 
but  mouth  and  teeth." 

Mouth  and  teeth!  No  one  could  better  describe  the 
macrocephalous  cachalot,  which  is  sometimes  more  than 
seventy-five  feet  long.  Its  enormous  head  occupies  one- 
third  of  its  entire  body.  Better  armed  than  the  whale, 
whose  upper  jaw  is  furnished  only  with  whalebone,  it  is 
supplied  with  twenty-five  large  tusks,  about  eight  inches 
long,  cylindrical  and  conical  at  the  top,  each  weighing 
two  pounds.     It  is  the  upper  part  of  this  enormous  head. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  219 

in  great  cavities  divided  by  cartilages,  that  is  to  be  found 
from  six  to  eight  hundred  pounds  of  that  precious  oil 
called  spermaceti.  The  cachalot  is  a  disagreeable  creat- 
ure, more  tadpole  than  fish,  according  to  Fredol's  descrip- 
tion. It  is  badly  formed,  the  whole  of  its  left  side  being 
(if  we  may  say  it)  a  ''failure,"  and  being  only  able  to  see 
with  -its  right  eye.  But  the  formidable  troop  was  nearing 
us.  They  had  seen  the  whales  and  were  preparing  to  at- 
tack them.  One  could  judge  beforehand  that  the  cacha- 
lots would  be  victorious,  not  only  because  they  were  better 
built  for  attack  than  their  inoffensive  adversaries,  but 
also  because  they  could  remain  longer  under  water 
without  coming  to  the  surface.  There  was  only  just  time 
to  go  to  the  help  of  the  whales.  The  Nautilus  went  under 
water.  Conseil,  Ned  Land,  and  I  took'  our  places  before 
the  window  in  the  saloon,  and  Captain  Nemo  joined  the 
pilot  in  his  cage  to  work  his  apparatus  as  an  engine  of  de- 
struction. Soon  I  felt  the  beatings  of  the  screw  quicken, 
and  our  speed  increased.  The  battle  between  the  cachalots 
and  the  whales  had  already  begun  when  the  Nautilus  ar- 
rived. They  did  not  at  first  show  any  fear  at  the  sight  of 
this  new  monster  joining  in  the  conflict.  But  they  soon 
had  to  guard  against  its  blows.  What  a  battle!  The  Nau- 
tilus was  nothing  but  a  formidable  harpoon,  brandished 
by  the  hand  of  its  captain.  It  hurled  itself  against  the 
fleshy  mass,  passing  through  from  one  part  to  the  other, 
leaving  behind  it  two  quivering  halves  of  the  animal.  It 
could  not  feel  the  formidable  blows  from  their  tails  upon 
its  sides,  nor  the  shock  which  it  produced  itself,  much 
more.  One  cachalot  killed,  it  ran  at  the  next,  tacked  on 
the  spot  that  it  might  not  miss  its  prey,  going  forward 
and  backward,  answering  to  its  helm,  plunging  when  the 
cetacean  dived  into  the  deep  waters,  coming  up  with  it 
when  it  returned  to  the  surface,  striking  it  front  or  side- 
ways, cutting  or  tearing  in  all  directions,  and  at  any  pace, 
piercing  it  with  its  terrible  spur.  What  carnage!  What 
a  noise  on  the  surface  of  the  waves!  What  sharp  hissing, 
and  what  snorting  peculiar  to  these  enraged  animals!  In 
the  midst  of  these  waters  generally  so  peaceful  their  tails 
made  perfect  billows.  For  one  hour  this  wholesale  mas- 
saci-e  continued,  from  which  the  cachalots  could  not  escape. 
Several  times  ten  or  twelve  united  tried  to  crush  the  Nau- 
tilus by  their  weight.     From  the  window  we  could  see 


25JO  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

their  enormous  mouths  studded  with  tusks,  and  their 
formidable  eyes.  Ned  Land  could  not  contain  himself,  he 
threatened  and  swore  at  them.  We  could  feel  them  cling- 
ing to  our  vessel  like  dogs  worrying  a  wild  boar  in  a  copse. 
But  the  Nautilus,  working  its  screw,  carried  them  here 
and  there,  or  to  the  upper  levels  of  the  ocean,  without 
caring  for  their  enormous  weight,  nor  the  powerful  strain 
on  the  vessel.  At  length,  the  mass  of  cachalots  broke  up, 
the  waves  became  quiet,  and  I  felt  that  we  were  rising  to 
tlie  surface.  The  panel  opened,  and  we  hurried  on  to  the 
platform.  The  sea  was  covered  with  mutilated  bodies.  A 
formidable  explosion  could  not  have  divided  and  torn  this 
fleshy  mass  with  more  violence.  We  were  floating  amid 
gigantic  bodies,  bluish  on  the  back  and  white  underneath, 
covered  with  enormous  protuberances.  Some  terrified 
cachalots  were  flying  toward  the  horizon.  The  waves  were 
dyed  red  for  several  miles,  and  the  Nautilus  floated  in  a 
sea  of  blood.     Captain  Nemo  joined  us. 

**  Well,  Master  Land?"  said  he. 

"  Well,  sir,"  replied  the  Canadian,  whose  enthusiasm 
had  somewhat  calmed;  "  it  is  a  terrible  spectacle  certainly. 
But  I  am  not  a  butcher.  I  am  a  hunter,  and  I  call  this  a 
butchery." 

"  It  is  a  massacre  of  mischievous  creatures,"  replied  the 
captain;  *'and  the  Nautilus  is  not  a  butcher's  knife." 

"  I  like  my  harpoon  better,"  said  the  Canadian. 

"Every  one  to  his  own,"  answered  the  captain,  looking 
fixedly  at  Ned  Land. 

I  feared  he  would  commit  some  act  of  violence,  which 
would  end  in  sad  consequences.  But  his  anger  was  turned 
by  the  sight  of  a  whale  which  the  Nautilus  had  just  come 
up  with.  The  creature  had  not  quite  escaped  from  the 
cachalot's  teeth.  I  recognized  the  southern  whale  by  its 
flat  head,  which  is  entirely  black.  Anatomically,  it  is 
distinguished  from  the  white  whale  and  the  North  Cape 
whale  by  the  seven  cervical  vertebrae,  and  it  has  two  more 
ribs  than  its  congeners.  The  unfortunate  cetacean  was 
lying  on  its  side,  riddled  with  holes  from  the  bites,  and 
quite  dead.  From  its  mutilated  fin  still  hung  a  young 
whale  which  it  could  not  save  from  the  massacre.  Its 
open  mouth  let  the  water  flow  in  and  out,  murmuring  like 
the  waves  breaking  on  the  shore.  Captain  Nemo  steered 
close  to  the  corpse  of  the  creature.     Two  of  hia  mea 


-^    20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  221 

monnted  its  side,  and  I  saw,  not  without  surprise,  that 
they  were  drawing  from  its  breasts  all  the  milk  which  they 
contained,  that  is  to  say,  about  two  or  three  tons.  The 
captain  offered  me  a  cup  of  the  milk,  which  was  still  warm.  ^ 
I  could  not  help  showing  my  repugnance  to  the  drink;' 
but  he  assured  me  that  it  was  excellent,  and  not  to  be  dis- 
tinguished from  cow's  milk.  I  tasted  it,  and  was  of  his 
opinion.  It  was  a  useful  reserve  to  us,  for  in  the  shape  of 
suit  butter  or  cheese  it  would  form  an  agreeable  variety 
from  our  ordinary  food.  From  that  day  I  noticed  with 
uneasiness  that  Ned  Land's  ill-will  toward  Captain  Nemo 
increased,  and  I  resolved  to  watch  the  Canadian's  gestures 
closely. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  ICEBERG. 

The  Nautilus  was  steadily  pursuing  its  southerly  course, 
following  the  fifteenth  meridian  with  considerable  speed. 
Did  he  wish  to  reach  the  pole?  I  did  not  think  so,  for 
every  attempt  to  reach  that  point  had  hitherto  failed. 
Again  the  season  was  far  advanced;  for  in  the  antarctic  re- 
gions the  13th  of  March  corresponds  with  the  13th  of 
September  of  northern  regions,  which  begin  at  the  equi- 
noctial season.  On  the  14th  of  March  I  saw  floating  ice  in 
the  latitude  55°,  merely  pale  bits  of  debris  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  feet  long,  forming  banks  over  which  the  sea 
curled.  The  Nautilus  remained  on  the  surface  of  the 
ocean.  Ned  Land,  who  had  fished  in  the  arctic  seas,  was 
familiar  with  its  icebergs;  but  Conseil  and  I  admired  them 
for  the  first  time.  In  the  atmosphere  toward  the  southern 
horizon  stretched  a  white  dazzling  band.  English  whaleKS 
have  given  it  the  name  of  "  ice  olink."  However  thick 
the  clouds  may  be,  it  is  always  visible,  and  announces  the 
presence  of  an  ice  pack  or  bank.  Accordingly,  larger 
blocks  soon  appejired,  whose  brilliancy  changed  with  the 
caprices  of  the  fog.  Some  of  these  masses  showed  green 
veins,  as  if  long  undulating  lines  had  been  traced  with 
sulphate  of  copper;  others  resembled  enormous  amethysts 
with  the  light  shining  through  them.  Some  reflected  the 
light  of  day  upon  a  thousand  crystal  facets.  Others 
shaded  with  vivid  calcareous  reflections  resembled  a  per- 


23^  20,000    LEAGUES    tJNDER    THE    SEAS. 

feet  town  of  marble.  The  more  we  neared  the  south,  the 
more  these  floating  islands  increased  both  in  number  and 
importance. 

At  the  sixtieth  degree  of  latitude,  every  pass  had  disap- 
peared. But  seeking  carefully.  Captain  Nemo  soon  found 
a  narrow  opening,  through  which  he  boldly  slipped,  know- 
ing, liowever,  that  it  would  close  behind  him.  Thus, 
guided  by  this  clever  hand,  the  Naiitil-is  passed  through 
all  the  ice  with  a  precision  which  quite  charmed  Oonseil; 
icebergs  or  mountains,  ice-fields  or  smooth  plains,  seeming 
to  have  no  limits,  drift  ice  or  floating  ice-packs,  or  plains 
broken  up,  called  palchs  v^hen  they  are  circular,  and 
streams  when  tiiey  are  made  up  of  long  strips.  The  tem- 
perature was  very  low;  the^thermometer  exposed  to  the 
air  marked  two  or  three  degrees  below  zero,  but  we  were 
warmly  clad  with  fur,  at  the  expense  of  the  sea-bear  and 
seal.  The  interior  of  the  Nautilus,  warmed  regularly  by 
its  electrical  apparatus,  defied  the  most  intense  cold.  Be- 
sides, it  would  only  have  been  necessary  to  go  some  yards 
beneath  the  surface  of  the  waves  to  find  a  more  bearable 
temperatuue.  Two  months  earlier  we  should  have  had 
per2:)etual  daylight  in  these  latitudes;  but  already  we  had 
three  or  four  liours  night,  and  by  and  by  there  would  be 
six  months  of  darkness  in  these  circum-polar  regions.  On 
the  loth  of  March  we  were  in  the  latitude  of  New  Shet- 
land and  South  Orkney.  The  captain  told  me  that  for- 
merly numerous  tribes  of  seals  inhabited  them;  but  that 
English  and  American  whalers,  in  their  rage  for  destruc- 
tion, massacred  both  old  and  young;  thus  where  was  once 
life  and  animation,  they  had  left  silence  and  death. 

About  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  16th  of 
March,  the  Nautilus,  following  the  fifty-fifth  meridian, 
cut  the  antarctic  polar  circle.  Ice  surrounded  us  on  all 
sides,  and  closed  the  horizon.  But  Captain  Nemo  went 
from  one  opening  to  another,  still  going  higher.  1  cannot 
express  my  astonishment  at  the  beauties  of  these  new 
regions.  The  ice  took  most  surprising  forms.  Here  the 
grouping  formed  an  Oriental  town,  with  innumerable 
mosques  and  minarets;  there  a  fallen  city  thrown  to  tho 
earth,  as  it  were,  by  some  convulsion  of  nature.  The  whole 
aspect  was  constantly  changed  by  the  oblique  rays  of  the 
sun,  or  lost  in  the  grayish  fog  amidst  hurricanes  of  snow. 
Detonations  and  falls  were  heard  ou  all  sides,  great  over- 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  233 

throws  of  icebergs,  which  altered  the  whole  landscape  like 
a  diorama.  Often  seeing  no  exit,  I  thought  we  were  defi- 
nitely prisoners;  but  instinct  guiding  him  at  the  slightest 
indication  Captain  Nemo  would  discover  a  new  pass.  He 
was  never  mistaken  when  he  saw  the  thin  threads  of  bluish 
water  trickling  along  the  ice-fields;  and  I  had  no  doubt 
that  he  had  already  ventured  into  the  midst  of  these  ant- 
arctic seas  before.  On  the  16th  of  March,  however,  tlio 
ice-fields  absolutely  blocked  our  road.  It  was  not  the  ice- 
berg itself,  as  yet,  but  vast  fields  cemented  by  the  cold. 
But  this  obstacle  could  not  stop  Captain  Nemo:  he  hurled 
himself  against  it  with  frightful  violence.  The  Nautilus 
entered  the  brittle  mass  like  a  wedge,  and  split  it  wiiii 
frightful  crackings.  It  was  the  battering-ram  of  the  an- 
cient hurled  by  infiwite  strength.  The  ice,  thrown  high  in 
the  air,  fell  like  hail  around  us.  By  its  own  power  of  im- 
pulsion our  apparatus  made  a  canal  for  itself;  sometimes 
carried  away  by  its  own  impetus  it  lodged  «n  the  ice-field, 
crushing  it  with  its  weight,  and  sometimes  buried  beneatli 
it,  dividing  it  by  a  simple  pitching  movement,  producing 
large  rents  in  it.  Violent  gales  assailed  us  at  this  time, 
accompanied  by  thick  fogs,  through  which,  from  one  end 
of  the  platform  to  the  other,  we  could  see  nothing.  The 
wind  blew  sharply  from  all  points  of  the  compass,  and  the 
snow  lay  in  such  hard  heaps  that  we  had  to  break  it 
with  blows  of  a  pickax.  The  temperature  was  at  five 
degrees  below  zero;  every  outward  part  of  the  Nautilus 
was  covered  with  ice.  A  rigged  vessel  could  never  have 
worked  its  way  there,  for  all  the  rigging  would  have  been 
entangled  in  the  blocked-up  gorges.  A  vessel  without 
sails,  with  electricity  for  its  motive-power,  and  wanting 
no  coal,  could  alone  brave  such  high  latitudes.  At  length, 
on  the  18th  of  March,  after  many  useless  assaults,  the 
Nautilus  was  positively  blocked.  It  was  no  longer  either 
streams,  packs,  or  ice-fields,  but  an  interminable  and  im- 
movable barrier,  formed  by  mountains  soldered  together- 

*' An  iceberg!"  said  the  Canadian  to  me. 

I  knew  that  to  Ned  Land,  as  well  as  to  all  other  navi- 
gators who  had  preceded  us,  this  was  an  inevitable 
obstacle.  The  sun  appearing  for  an  instant  at  noon, 
Captain  Nemo  took  an  observation  as  near  as  possible, 
which  gave  our  situation  at  51''  30'  longitude  and  67**  39' 
as  south  latitude.     We  had  advanced  one  degree  more  in 


224  20,000    LEAGUES    UlTDER    THE    SEAS. 

this  antarctic  region.  Of  the  liquid  surface  of  the  sea  there 
was  no  longer  a  glimpse.  Under  the  spur  of  the  Nautilus 
lay  stretched  a  vast  plain,  entangled  with  confused  blocks. 
Here  and  there  sharp  points,  and  slender  needles  rising  to 
a  height  of  200  feet;  further  on  a  steep  shore,  hewn  as  it 
were  with  an  ax,  and  clothed  with  grayish  tints;  huge 
mirrors,  reflecting  a  few  rays  of  sunshine,  half  drowned  in 
the  fog.  And  over  this  desolate  face  of  nature  a  stern 
silence  reigned,  scarcely  broken  by  the  flapping  of  the 
wings  of  petrels  and  puflBns.  Everything  was  frozen — 
even  the  noise.  The  Nautilus  was  then  obliged  to  stop  in 
its  adventurous  course  amid  these  fields  of  ice.  In  spite 
of  our  efforts,  in  spite  of  the  powerful  means  employed  to 
break  up  the  ice,  the  Nautilus  remained  immovable. 
Generally,  when  we  can  proceed  no  further,  we  have  re- 
turn still  open  to  us;  but  here  return  was  as  impossible  as 
advance,  for  every  pass  had  closed  behind  us;  and  for  the 
few  moments  when  we  were  stationary,  we  were  likely  to 
be  entirely  blocked,  which  did,  indeed,  happen  about 
two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  fr^sh  ice  forming  around 
its  sides  with  astonishing  rapidity.  I  was  obliged  to  admit 
that  Captain  Nemo  was  more  than  imprudent.  I  was  on 
the  platform  at  that  moment.  The  captain  had  been  ob- 
serving our  situation  for  some  time  past,  when  he  said  to 
me: 

**  Well,  sir,  what  do  you  think  of  this?" 

**  I  think  that  we  are  caught,  Captain." 

**So,  M.  Aronnax,  you  really  think  that  the  Nautilus 
cannot  disengage  itself." 

'*  With  difficulty.  Captain;  for  the  season  is  already  too 
far  advanced  for  you  to  reckon  on  the  breaking  up  of  the 
ice." 

**  Ah!  sir,"  said  Captain  Nemo,  in  an  ironical  tone, 
**you  will  always  be  the  same.  You  see  nothing  but  diffi- 
culties and  obstacles.  I  affirm  that  not  only  can  the 
Nautilus  disengage  itself,  but  also  that  it  can  go  further 
still." 

*'  Further  to  the  south?"  I  asked,  looking  at  the  cap- 
tain. 

"Yes,  sir;  it  shall  go  to  the  pole." 

"To  the  pole!"  I  exclaimed,  unable  to  repress  a  gesture 
of  incredulity. 

**  Yes,"  replied  the  captain,  coldly,  "  to  the  antarctic 


20,000    LEAGUES     UNDER    THE    SEAS.  225 

pole,  to  that  unknown  point  from  whence  springs  every 
meridian  of  the  globe.  You  know  whether  I  can  do  as  I 
please  with  the  Nautilus?" 

Yes,  I  knew  that.  I  knew  that  this  man  was  bold, 
even  to  rashness.  But  to  conquer  those  obstacles  which 
bristled  round  the  south  pole,  rendering  it  more  inacces- 
sible than  the  north,  which  had  not  yet  been  reached  by 
the  boldest  navigators — was  it  not  a  mad  enterprise,  one 
which  only  a  maniac  would  have  conceived?  It  then  came 
into  my  head  to  ask  Captain  Nemo  if  he  had  ever  discovered 
that  pole  which  had  never  yet  been  trodden  by  a  human 
ereature. 

"  No,  sir,"  he  replied,  '*  but  we  will  discover  it  together. 
Where  others  have  failed,  /  will  not  fail.  I  have  never 
yet  led  my  Nautilus  so  far  into  southern  seas;  but,  I  re- 
peat, it  shall  go  further  yet." 

"  I  can  well  believe  you.  Captain,"  said  I,  in  a  slightly 
ironical  tone.  "I  believe  you.  Let  us  go  ahead!  There 
are  no  obstacles  for  us!  Let  us  smash  this  iceberg!  Let 
us  blow  it  up;  and  if  it  resists,  let  us  give  the  Nautilus 
wings  to  fly  over  it!" 

"  Over  it,  sir!"  said  Captain  Nemo  quietly;  "no,  not 
over  it,  but  under  it!" 

*'  Under  it!"  I  exclaimed,  a  sudden  idea  of  the  captain's 
projects  flashmg  upon  my  mind.  I  understood  the  wou- 
derful  qualities  of  the  Nautilus  were  going  to  serve  us  in 
this  superhunjan  enterprise. 

"  I  see  we  are  beginning  to  understand  one  another, 
gir,"  said  the  captain,  half  smiling.  "  You  begin  to  see 
the  possibility — I  should  say  the  success — of  this  attempt. 
That  which  is  impossible  for  an  ordinary  vessel,  is  easy 
to  the  Nautilus.  If  a  continent  lies  before  the  pole,  it 
must  stop  before  the  continent;  but  if  on  the  contrary, 
the  pole  is  washed  by  open  sea,  it  will  go  even  to  the  pole." 

"  Certainly,"  said  I,  carried  away  by  the  captain's  rea- 
soning; "  if  the  surface  of  the  sea  is  solidified  by  the  ice, 
'  the  lower  depths  are  free  by  the  providential  law  which 
has  placed  the  maximum  of  density  of  the  waters  of  the 
ocean  one  degree  higher  than  freezing  point;  and,  if  I 
am  not  mistaken,  the  portion  of  this  iceberg  which  is 
above  the  water  is  as  one  to  four  to  that  which  is  below." 

"  Very  nearly,  sir;  for  one  foot  of  iceberg  above  the  sea 
there  are  three  below  it.     If  these  ice  mountains  are  not 


S526  JiOjOOO    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

more  than  300  feet  above  the  surface,  they  are  not  more 
than  900  beneath.  And  what  are  900  feet  to  the  Nau- 
tilus?" 

**  Nothing,  sir." 

"  It  could  even  seek  at  greater  depths  that  uniform 
temperature  of  sea  water,  and  there  brave  with  impunity 
the  thirty  or  forty  degrees  of  surface  cold." 

"Just  so,  sir — just  so,"  I  replied,  getting  animated. 

*'The  only  difficulty,"  continued  Captain  Nemo,  "is 
that  of  remaining  several  days  without  renewing  our  pro- 
vision of  air." 

*'  Is  that  all?  The  Nautilus  has  vast  reservoirs;  we  can 
fill  them,  and  they  will  supply  us  with  all  the  oxygen  we 
want." 

"  Well  thought  of,  M.  Aronnax,"  replied  the  captain, 
smiling.  "  But  not  wishing  you  to  accuse  me  of  rashness, 
I  will  first  give  you  all  my  objections." 

"  Have  you  any  more  to  make?" 

"  Only  one.  It  is  possible,  if  the  sea  exists  at  the 
south  pole,  that  it  may  be  covered;  and,  consequently,  we 
shall  be  unable  to  come  to  the  surface." 

"  Good,  sir!  but  do  you  forget  that  the  Nautilus  is 
armed  with  a  powerful  spur,  and  could  we  not  send  it 
diagonally  against  these  fields  of  ice,  which  would  open  at 
the  shock." 

"Ah!  sir,  you  are  full  of  ideas  to-day." 

"Besides,  Captain,"  I  added,  enthusiastically,  "why 
should  we  not  find  the  sea  open  at  the  south  pole  as  well 
as  at  the  north?  The  frozen  poles  and  the  poles  of  the 
earth  do  not  coincide,  either  in  the  southern  or  in  the 
northern  regions;  and,  until  it  is  proved  to  the  contrary, 
we  may  suppose  either  a  continent  or  an  ocean  free  from 
ice  at  these  two  points  of  the  globe." 

"  I  think  so  too,  M.  Aronnax,"  replied  Captain  Nemo. 
"  I  only  wish  you  to  observe  that,  after  having  made  so 
many  objections  to  my  project,  you  are  now  crushing  me 
with  arguments  in  its  favor!" 

The  preparations  for  this  audacious  attempt  now  began. 
The  powerful  pumps  of  the  Nautilus  were  working  air 
into  the  reservoirs  and  storing  it  at  high  pressure.  About 
four  o'clock  Captain  Nemo  announced  the  closing  of  the 
panels  on  the  platform.  I  threw  one  last  look  at  the 
massive  iceberg  which  we  were  going  to  cross.  The  weather 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS,  227 

was  clear,  the  atmosphere  pure  enough,  the  cold  very 
great,  being  twelve  degrees  below  zero;  but  tlie  wind  hav- 
ing gone  down,  this  temperature  was  not  so  unbearable. 
About  ten  men  mounted  the  sides  of  the  Nautilus,  armed 
with  pickaxes  to  break  the  ice  around  the  vessel,  which 
was  soon  free.  The  operation  was  quickly  performed,  for 
the  fresh  ice  was  still  very  thin.  We  all  went  below.  The 
usual  reservoirs  were  filled  with  the  newly  liberated  water, 
and  the  Nautilus  soon  descended.  I  had  taken  my  place 
with  Conseil  in  the  saloon:  through  the  open  window  we 
could  see  the  lower  beds  of  the  Southern  Ocean.  The 
thermometer  went  up,  the  needle  of  tne  compass  deviated 
on  the  dial.  At  about  900  feet,  as  Captain  Nemo  had 
foreseen,  we  were  floating  beneath  the  undulating  bottom 
of  the  iceberg.  But  the  Nautilus  went  lower  still — it 
went  to  the  depth  of  four  hundred  fathoms.  The  tem- 
perature of  the  water  at  the  surface  showed  twelve  degrees, 
it  was  now  only  ten;  we  had  gained  two.  1  need  not  say 
the  temperature  of  the  Nautilus  was  raised  by  its  heating 
apparatus  to  a  much  higher  degree;  every  maneuver  was 
accomplished  with  wonderful  preci&ion. 

^'We  shall  pass  it,  if  you  please,  sir,"  said  Conseil. 

"  I  believe  we  shall,"  I  said,  in  a  tone  of  firm  convic- 
tion. 

In  this  open  sea  the  Nautilus  had  taken  its  course  direct 
to  the  pole,  without  leaving  the  fifty-second  meridian. 
From  67°  30/  to  90°,  twenty-two  degrees  and  a  half  of 
latitude  remained  to  travel,  that  is,  about  five  hundred 
leagues.  The  Nautilus  kept  up  a  mean  speed  of  twenty- 
six  miles  an  hour — the  speed  of  an  express  train.  If  that 
was  kept  up  in  forty-eight  hours  we  should  reach  the  pole. 

For  a  part  of  the  night  the  novelty  of  the  situation 
kept  us  at  the  window.  The  sea  was  lit  with  the  elec- 
tric lantern;  but  it  was  deserted;  fishes  did  not  sojourn 
in  these  imprisoned  waters;  they  only  found  there  a 
passage  to  take  them  from  the  antarctic  ocean  to  the 
open  polar  sea.  Our  progress  was  rapid;  we  could  feel 
by  the  quivering  of  the  long  steel  body.  About  two  in 
the  morning  I  took  some  hours'  repose,  and  Conseil  did 
the  same.  In  crossing  the  waist  I  did  not  meet  Captain 
Nemo;  I  supposed  him  to  be  in  the  pilot's  cage.  The 
next  morning,  the  19th  of  March,  I  took  my  post  once 
more  in  the  saloon.     The  electric  log  told  me  that  the 


228  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER   THE    SEAS. 

speed  of  the  Nautilus  had  been  slackened.  It  was  then 
going  toward  the  surface,  but  prudently  emptying  its 
reservoirs  very  slowly.  My  heart  beat  fast.  Were  we 
going  to  emerge  and  regain  the  open  polar  atmosphere? 
No!  A  shock  told  me  that  the  Nautilus  had  struck  the 
bottom  of  the  iceberg,  still  very  thick,  judging  from  the 
deadened  sound.  We  had  indeed  "struck,"  to  use  a 
sea  expression,  but  in  an  inverse  sense,  at  a  thousand 
feet  deep.  This  would  give  three  thousand  feet  of  ice 
above  us;  one  thousand  being  above  the  water-mark.  Tlie 
iceberg  was  then  higher  than  at  its  borders — not  a  very 
reassuring  fact.  Several  times  that  day  the  Nautilus  tried 
again,  and  every  time  it  struck  the  wall  which  lay  like  a 
ceiling  above  us.  Sometimes  it  met  with  but  900  yards, 
only  200  of  which  rose  above  the  surface.  It  was  twice 
the  height  it  was  when  the  Nautilus  had  gone  under  the 
waves.  I  carefully  noted  the  different  depths,  and  thus 
obtained  a  submarine  profile  of  the  chain  as  it  was  devel- 
oped under  the  water.  That  night  no  change  had  taken 
place  in  our  situation.  Still  ice  between  four  and  five 
hundred  yards  in  depths!  It  was  evidently  diminishing, 
but  still  what  a  thickness  between  us  and  the  surface  of 
the  ocean!  It  was  then  eight.  According  to  the  daily 
custom  on  board  the  Nautilus,  its  air  should  have  been 
renewed  four  hours  ago;  but  I  did  not  suffer  much,  al- 
though Captain  Nemo  had  not  yet  made  any  demand 
upon  his  reserve  of  oxygen.  My  sleep  was  painful  that 
night;  hope  and  fear  besieged  me  by  turns:  I  rose  several 
times.  The  groping  of  the  Nautilus  continued.  About 
three  in  the  morning,  I  noticed  that  the  lower  surface  of 
the  iceberg  was  only  about  fifty  feet  deep.  One  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  now  separated  us  from  the  surface  of  the 
waters.  The  iceberg  was  by  degrees  becoming  an  ice-field, 
the  mountain  a  plain.  My  eyes  never  left  the  manometer. 
We  were  still  rising  diagonally  to  the  surface,  which  spark- 
led under  the  electric  rays.  The  iceberg  was  stretching 
both  above  and  beneath  into  lengthening  slopes;  mile 
after  mile  it  was  getting  thinner.  At  length,  at  six  in  the 
morning  of  that  memorable  day,  the  19th  of  March,  the 
door  of  the  saloon  opened,  and  Captain  Nemo  appeared. 
**  The  sea  is  open !"  was  all  he  said. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  2i9 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE     SOUTH     POUS. 

I  RUSHED  on  to  the  platform.  Yes!  the  open  sea,  with 
but  a  few  scattered  pieces  of  ice  and  moving  icebergs;  a 
long  stretch  of  sea;  a  world  of  birds  in  the  air,  and  myriads 
of  fishes  under  those  waters  which  varied  from  intense  blue 
to  olive  green,  according  to  the  bottom.  The  thermome- 
ter marked  three  degrees  centigrade  above  zero.  It  was 
comparatively  spring,  shut  up  as  we  were  behind  this  ice- 
berg, whose  lengthened  mass  was  dimly  seen  on  our  north- 
ern horizon. 

"  Are  we  at  the  pole?"  I  asked  the  captain,  with  a  beat- 
ing heart. 

'^I  do  not  know,"  he  replied.  "At  noon  I  will  take 
our  bearings." 

"  But  will  the  son  show  himself  through  this  fog?"  said 
I,  looking  at  the  leaden  sky. 

"  However  little  it  shows,  it  will  be  enough,"  replied 
the  captain. 

About  ten  miles  south,  a  solitary  island  rose  to  a  height 
of  one  hundred  and  four  yards.  We  made  for'it,  but  care- 
fully, for  the  sea  might  be  strewn  with  banks.  One  hour 
afterward  we  had  reached  it,  two  hours  later  we  had  made 
the  round  of  it.  It  measured  four  or  five  miles  in  circum- 
ference. A  narrow  canal  separated  it  from  a  considerable 
stretch  of  land,  perhaps  a  continent,  for  we  could  not  see 
its  limits.  The  existence  of  this  land  seemed  to  give  some 
color  to  Maury's  hypothesis.  The  ingenious  American 
has  remarked  that,  between  the  south  pole  and  the  sixtieth 
parallel,  the  sea  is  covered  with  floating  ice  of  enormous 
size,  which  is  never  met  with  in  the  North  Atlantic.  From 
this  fact  he  has  drawn  the  conclusion  that  the  antarctic 
circle  incloses  considerable  continents,  as  icebergs  cannot 
form  in  open  sea,  but  only  on  the  coasts.  According  to 
these  calculations,  the  mass  of  ice  surrounding  the  south- 
ern pole  forms  a  vast  cap,  the  circumference  of  which  must 
be,  at  least,  2,500  miles.  But  the  Nautilus,  for  fear  of 
running  aground,  had  stopped  about  three  cables'  lengtk 
from  a  strand  over  which  reared  a  superb  heap  of  rocks. 


330  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

The  boafc  was  lannched;  the  captain,  two  of  his  men  bear- 
ing instruments,  Conseil  and  myself,  were  in  it.  It  was 
ten  in  the  morning.  I  had  not  seen  Ned  Land.  Doubt- 
less the  Canadian  did  not  wish  to  admit  the  presence  of 
the  south  pole.  A  few  strokes  of  the  oar  brought  us  to 
the  sand,  where  we  ran  ashore.  Conseil  was  going  to  jump 
on  to  the  land,  when  I  held  him  back. 

'*  Sir,"  said  I  to  Captain  Nemo,  "  to  you  belongs  the 
honor  of  first  setting  foot  on  this  land." 

''  Yes,  sir,"  sdd.  the  captain;  **  and  if  I  do  not  hesitate 
to  tread  this  south  pole,  it  is  because,  up  to  this  time,  no 
human  being  has  left  a  trace  there." 

Saying  this,  he  jumped  lightly  on  to  the  sand:  His 
heart  beat  with  emotion.  He  climbed  a  rock,  sloping  to 
a  little  promontory;  and,  there,  with  his  arms  crossed, 
mute  and  motionless,  and  with  an  eager  look,  he  seemed 
to  take  possession  of  these  southern  regions.  After  five 
minutes  passed  in  this  ecstasy,  he  turned  to  us. 

"  When  you  like,  sir." 

I  landed,  followed  by  Conseil,  leaving  the  two  men  in 
the  boat.  For  a  long  way  the  soil  was  composed  of  a  red- 
dish, sandy  stone,  something  like  crushed  brick,  scoriae, 
streams  of  lava,  and  pumice-stones.  One  could  not  mis- 
take its  volcanic  origin.  In  some  parts,  slight  curls  of 
smoke  emitted  a  sulphurous  smell,  proving  that  the  in- 
ternal fires  had  lost  nothing  of  their  expansive  powers, 
though,  having  climbed  a  high  acclivity,  I  could  see  no 
volcano  for  a  radius  of  several  miles.  We  know  that  in 
those  antarctic  countries,  James  Boss  found  two  craters, 
the  Erebus  and  Terror,  in  full  activity,  on  the  167th 
meridian,  latitude  11°  32'.  The  vegetation  of  this  desolate 
continent  seemed  to  be  much  restricted.  Some  lichens  of 
the  species  usnea  melanoxantha  lay  upon  the  black  rocks; 
some  microscopic  plants,  rudimentary  diatomas,  a  kind  of 
cells,  placed  between  two  quartz  shells;  long  purple  and 
scarlet  fucus,  supported  on  little  swimming  bladders, 
which  the  breaking  of  the  waves  brought  to  the  shore. 
These  constituted  the  meager  flora  of  this  region.  The 
shore  was  strewn  with  molluscs,  little  mussels,  limpets, 
smooth  bucards  in  the  shape  of  a  heart,  and  particularly 
gome  clios,  with  oblong  membraneous  bodies,  the  head  of 
which  was  formed  of  two  rounded  lobes.  I  also  saw  myr- 
iads of  northern  clios,  one  and  a  quarter  inches  long,  of 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  231 

which  a  whale  would  swallow  a  whole  world  at  a  mouthful: 
and  some  charming  pteropods,  perfect  sea-butterflies,  ani- 
mating the  waters  oq  the  skirts  of  the  shore. 

Amongst  other  zobphites,  there  appeared  on  the  high 
bottoms  some  coral  shrubs,  of  that  kind  which,  according 
to  James  Ross,  live  in  the  antarctic  seas  to  the  depth  of 
more  than  1.000  yards.  Then  there  were  little  kingfishers 
belonging  to  the  species  procellaria  pelagica,  as  well  as  a 
large  number  of  asteriads,  peculiar  to  these  climates,  and 
starfish  studding  the  soil.  But  where  life  abounded  most 
was  in  the  air.  There  thousands  of  birds  fluttered  and 
flew  of  all  kinds,  deafening  us  with  their  cries;  others 
crowded  the  rocks,  looking  at  us  as  we  passed  by  without 
fear,  and  pressing  familiarly  close  by  our  feet.  There  were 
penguins,  so  agile  in  the  water  that  they  have  been  taken 
for  the  rapid  bonitos,  heavy  and  awkward  as  they  are  on 
the  ground;  they  were  uttering  harsh  cries,  a  large  assem- 
bly, sober  in  gesture,  but  extravagant  in  clamor.  Amongst 
the  birds  I  noticed  the  chionis,  of  the  long-legged  family, 
as  large  as  pigeons,  white,  with  a  short,  conical  beak,  and 
the  eye  framed  in  a  red  circle.  Conseil  laid  in  a  stock  of 
them,  for  these  winged  creatures,  properly  prepared,  make 
an  agreeable  meat.  Albatrosses  passed  in  the  air  (the 
expanse  of  their  wings  being  at  least  four  yards  and  a 
half),  and  justly  called  the  vultures  of  the  ocean;  some 
gigantic  petrels,  and  some  damiers,  a  kind  of  small  duck, 
the  under  part  of  whose  body  is  black  and  white;  then 
there  were  a  whole  series  of  petrels,  some  whitish  with 
brown-bordered  wings,  others  blue,  peculiar  to  the  antarctic 
seas,  and  so  oily,  as  I  told  Conseil,  that  the  inhabitants  of 
tlie  Faroe  Islands  had  nothing  to  do  before  lighting  them, 
but  to  put  a  wick  in. 

"A  little  more,"  said  Conseil,  "'^and  they  would  be 
perfect  lamps!  After  that  we  cannot  expect  nature  to 
have  previously  furnished  them  with  wicks!" 

About  half  a  mile  further  on,  the  soil  was  riddled  with 
ruffs'  nests,  a  sort  of  laying  ground,  out  of  which  many 
birds  were  issuing.  Captain  Nemo  had  some  hundreds 
hunted.  They  uttered  a  cry  like  the  braying  of  an  ass, 
w-ere  about  the  size  of  a  goose,  slate  color  on  the  body, 
white  beneath,  with  a  yellow  line  round  their  throats; 
they  allowed  themselves  to  be  killed  with  a  stone,  never 
trying  to  escape.     But  the  fog  did  not  lift,  and  at  eleven 


333  30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

the  sun  had  not  yet  shown  itself.  Its  absence  made  me 
uneasy.  Without  it  no  observations  were  possible.  How 
then  could  we  decide  whether  we  had  reached  the  pole? 
When  I  rejoined  Captain  Nemo,  I  found  him  leaning  on 
a  piece  of  rock,  silently  watching  the  sky.  He  seemed 
impatient  and  vexed.  But  what  was  to  be  done?  This 
rash  and  powerful  man  could  not  command  the  sun  as  he 
did  the  sea.  Noon  arrived  without  the  orb  of  day  show- 
ing itself  for  an  instant.  We  could  not  even  tell  its  po- 
sition behind  the  curtain  of  fog;  and  soon  the  fog  turned 
to  snow. 

**  Till  to-morrow,"  said  the  captain  quietly,  and  we  re- 
turned to  the  Nautilus  amid  these  atmospheric  disturb- 
ances. 

The  tempest  of  snow  continued  till  the  next  day.  It 
was  impossible  to  remain  on  the  platform.  From  the 
saloon,  where  I  was  taking  notes  of  incidents  happening 
during  the  excursion  to  the  polar  continent,  I  could  hear 
the  cry  of  petrels  and  albatrosses  sporting  in  the  midst  of 
this  violent  storm.  The  Nautilus  did  not  remain  motion- 
less, but  skirted  the  coast,  advancing  ten  miles  more  to 
the  south  in  the  half-light  left  by  the  sun  as  it  skirted  the 
edge  of  the  horizon.  The  next  day,  the  30th  of  March, 
the  snow  had  ceased.  The  cold  was  a  little  greater,  the 
thermometer  showing  two  degrees  below  zero.  The  fog 
was  rising,  and  I  hoped  that  that  day  our  observations 
might  be  taken.  Captain  Nemo  not  having  yet  appeared, 
the  boat  took  Conseil  and  myself  to  land.  The  soil  was 
still  of  the  same  volcanic  nature;  everywhere  were  traces 
of  lava,  scoriae,  and  basalt;  but  the  crater  which  had  vom- 
ited them  I  could  not  see.  Here,  as  lower  down,  this 
continent  was  alive  with  myriads  of  birds;  but  their  rule 
was  now  divided  with  large  troops  of  sea-mammals,  look- 
ing at  us  with  their  soft  eyes.  There  were  several  kinds 
of  seals,  some  stretched  on  the  earth,  some  on  flakes  of 
ice,  many  going  in  and  out  of  the  sea.  They  did  not  flee 
at  our  approach,  never  having  had  anything  to  do  with 
man;  and  I  reckoned  that  there  were  provisions  there  for 
hundreds  of  vessels. 

"  Sir,"  said  Conseil,  "will  you  tell  me  the  names  of 
these  creatures?" 

'*  They  are  seals  and  morses." 

It  was  now  eight  in  the  morning.    Four  hours  remained 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  233 

to  US  before  the  sun  could  be  observed  with  advantage. 
I  directed  our  steps  toward  a  vast  bay  cut  in  the  steep 
granite  shoi'e. 

There,  I  can  aver  that  earth  and  ice  were  lost  to  sight 
by  the  number  of  sea-mammals  covering  them,  and  I  in- 
voluntarily sought  for  old  Proteus,  the  mythological 
shepherd,  who  watched  these  immense  flocks  of  Neptune. 
There  were  more  seals  than  anything  else,  forming  distinct 
groups,  male  and  female,  the  father  watching  over. his 
family,  the  mother  suckling  her  little  ones,  some  already 
strong  enough  to  go  a  few  steps.  When  they  wished  to 
change  their  place,  they  took  little  jumps,  made  by  the 
contraction  of  their  bodies,  and  helped  awkwardly  enough 
by  their  imperfect  fin,  which,  as  with  the  lamantin,  their 
congener,  forms  a  perfect  forearm.  I  should  say  that,  in 
the  water,  which  is  their  element — the  spine  of  these 
creatures  is  flexible — with  smooth  and  close  skinj..and 
webbed  feet,  they  swim  admirably.  In  resting  on  the 
earth,  they  take  the  most  graceful  attitudes.  Thus  the 
ancients,  observing  their  soft  and  expressive  looks,  whicli 
cannot  be  surpassed  by  the  most  beautiful  look  a  woman 
can  give,  their  clear  voluptuous  eyes,  their  charming  posi- 
tions, and  the  poetry  of  their  manners,  metamorphosed 
them,  the  male  into  a  triton  and  the  female  into  a  mer- 
maid. I  made  Conseil  notice  the  considerable  development 
of  the  lobes  of  the  brain  in  these  interesting  cetaceans.  No 
mammal,  except  man,  has  such  a  quantity  of  cerebral 
matter;  they  are  also  capable  of  receiving  a  certain  amount 
of  education,  are  easily  domesticated,  and  I  think,'with 
other  naturalists,  that,  if  properly  taught,  they  would  be 
of  great  service  as  fishing  dogs.  The  greater  part  of  them 
slept  on  the  rocks  or  on  the  sand.  Amongst  these 
seals,  properly  so  called,  which  have  no  external  ears  (in 
which  they  differ  from  the  otter,  whose  ears  are  promi- 
nent), I  noticed  several  varities  of  stenorhynchi  about 
three  yards  long,  with  a  white  coat,  bull-dog  head,  armed 
with  teeth  in  both  jaws,  four  incisors  at  the  top  and 
four  at  the  bottom,  and  two  large  canine  teeth  in  the 
shape  of  a  "fleur  de  lis."  Amongst  them  glided  sea- 
elephants,  a  kind  of  seal,  with  short  flexible  trunks.  The 
giants  of  this  species  measured  twenty  feet  round,  and  ten 
yards  and  a  half  in  length;  but  they  did  not  move  as  we 
approached. 


234  20,000  iBAGUES  under  the  seas. 

*' These  creatures  are  not  dangerous?"  asked  Conseil. 

"No;  not  unless  you  attack  them.  When  they  have  to 
defend  their  young,  their  rage  is  terrible,  and  it  is  not 
uncommon  for  them  to  break  the  fishing-boats  to  pieces." 

**They  are  quite  right,"  said  Conseil. 

"I  do  not  say  they  are  not." 

Two  miles  further  on  we  were  stopped  in  the  promontory 
which  shelters  the  bay  from  the  southerly  winds.  Be- 
yond it  we  heard  loud  bellowing  such  as  a  troop  of 
ruminants  would  produce. 

'* Good!"  said  Conseil;  "a  concert  of  bulls!" 

**  No;  concert  of  morses," 

"  They  are  fighting!"     ' 

"  They  are  either  fighting  or  playing." 

We  now  began  to  climb  the  blackfish  rocks,  amid  un- 
foreseen stumbles,  and  over  stones  which  the  ice  made  slip- 
perjf.  More  than  once  I  rolled  over,  at  the  expense  of  my 
loins.  Conseil,  more  prudent  or  more  steady,  did  not 
stumble,  and  helped  me  up,  saying: 

**If,  sir,  you  would  have  the  kindness  to  take  wider 
steps,  you  would  preserve  your  equilibrium  better." 

Arrived  at  the  upper  ridge  of  the  promontory,  I  saw  a 
vast  white  plain  covered  with  morses.  They  were  playing 
amongst  themselves,  and  what  we  heard  were  bellowings 
of  pleasure,  not  of  anger. 

As  I  passed  near  these  curious  animals,  I  could  examine 
them  leisurely,  for  they  did  not  move.  Their  skins  were 
thick  and  rugged,  of  a  yellowish  tint,  approaching  to  red; 
thefi"  hair  was  short  and  scant.  Some  of  them  were  four 
yards  and  a  quarter  long.  Quieter  and  less  timid  than 
their  cogeners  of  the  north,  they  did  not,  like  them,  place 
sentinels  round  the  outskirts  of  their  encampment.  After 
examining  this  city  of  morses,  I  began  to  think  of  return- 
ing. It  was  eleven  o'clock,  and  if  Captain  Nemo  found 
the  conditions  favorable  for  observation,  I  wished  to  be 
present  at  the  operation.  We  followed  a  narrow  pathway 
running  along  the  summit  of  the  steep  shore.  At  half 
past  eleven  we  had  reached  the  place  where  we  landed. 
The  boat  had  run  aground  bringing  the  captain.  I  saw 
him  standing  on  a  rock  of  basalt,  his  instruments  near 
liim,  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  northern  horizon,  near  which 
the  sun  was  then  describing  a  lengthened  curve.  I  took 
my  place  beside  him,  and  waited  without  speaking.    Noon 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  23£ 

arrived,  and,  as  before,  the  sun  did  not  appear.  It  was  a 
fatality.  Observations  were  still  wanting.  If  not  accom- 
plished to-morrow,  we  must  give  up  a'l  idea  of  taking  any. 
We  were  indeed  exactly  at  the  20th  of  March.  To-morrow, 
the  21st,  would  be  the  equinox;  the  sun  would  disappear  be- 
hind the  horizon  for  six  months,  and  with  its  disappear- 
ance the  long  polar  night  would  begin.  Since  the  Sep- 
tember equinox  it  had  emerged  from  the  northern  horizon, 
rising  by  lengthened  spirals  up  to  the  21st  of  December. 
At  this  period,  the  summer  solstice  of  the  northern  regions, 
it  had  begun  to  descend,  and  to-morrow  was  to  shed  its 
last  rays  upon  them.  I  communicated  my  fears  and  ob- 
servations to  Captain  Nemo. 

**  You  are  right,  M.  Aronnax,"  said  he;  "if  to-morrow 
I  cannot  take  the  altitude  of  the  sun,  I  shall  not  be  able 
to  do  it  for  six  months.  But  precisely  because  chance  has 
led  me  into  these  seas  on  the  31st  of  March,  my  bearings 
will  be  easv  to  take,  if  at  twelve  we  can  see  the  sun." 

**  Why,  "Captain?" 

*'  Because  then  the  orb  of  day  describes  such  length- 
ened curves,  that  it  is  diflBcult  to  measure  exactly  its  height 
above  the  horizon,  and  grave  errors  may  be  made  with 
instruments." 

'*  What  will  you  do  then?" 

"I  shall  only  use  my  chronometer,"  replied  Captain 
Nemo.  "  If  to-morrow,  the  21st  of  Mai-ch,  the  disc  of  the 
sun,  allowing  for  refraction,  is  exactly  cut  by  the  northern 
horizon,  it  will  show  that  I  am  at  the  south  pole." 

"  Just  so,"  said  I.  "  But  this  statement  is  not  math- 
ematically correct,  because  the  equinox  does  not  necessari- 
ly begin  at  noon." 

*'  Very  likely,  sir;  but  the  error  will  not  be  a  hundred 
yards,  and  we  do  not  want  more.     Till  to-morrow  then!" 

Captain  Nemo  returned  on  board.  Conseil  and  I  re- 
mained to  survey  the  shore,  observing  and  studying  until 
five  o'clock.  Then  I  went  to  bed,  not  however,  without 
invoking,  like  the  Indian  the  favor  of  the  radiant  orb. 
The  next  day,  the  21st  of  March,  at  five  in  the  morning, 
I  mounted  the  platform.     I  found  Captain   Nemo   there. 

*'  The  weather  is  lightening  a  little,"  said  he.  "  I  have 
some  hope.  After  breakfast  we  will  go  on  shore,  and 
choose  a  post  for  observation." 

That  point  settled,  I  sought  Ned  Land.     I  wanted  to 


236  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS. 

take  him  with  me.  But  the  obstinate  Canadian  refused, 
and  I  saw  that  his  taciturnity  and  his  bad  humor  grew 
day  by  day.  After  all  I  was  not  sorry  for  his  obstinacy 
under  the  circumstances.  Indeed,  there  were  too  many 
seals  on  shore,  and  we  ought  not  to  lay  such  temptation  in 
this  unreflecting  fisherman's  way.  Breakfast  over,  we 
went  on  shore.  The  Nautilus  had  gone  some  miles  further 
up  in  the  night.  It  was  a  whole  league  from  the  coast, 
above  which  reared  a  sharp  peak  about  five  hundred  yards 
high.  The  boat  took  with  me  Captain  Nemo,  two  men  of 
the  crew,  and  the  instruments,  which  consisted  of  a  chro- 
nometer, a  telescope,  and  a  barometer.  While  crossing,  I 
saw  numerous  whales  belongiBg  to  the  three  kinds  peculiar 
to  the  southern  seas;  the  whale,  or  the  English  "right 
whale,"  which  has  no  dorsal  fin;  the  "  humpback,"  or  ba- 
laenopteron,  with  reeved  chest,  and  large  whitish  fins, 
which,  in  spite  of  its  name,  do  not  form  wings;  and  the 
fin-back,  of  a  yellowish  brown,  the  liveliest  of  all  the  ceta- 
cea.  This  powerful  creature  is  heard  a  long  way  off  when 
he  throws  to  a  great  height  columns  of  air  and  vapor, 
which  look  like  whirlwinds  of  smoke.  These  different 
mammals  were  disporting  themselves  in  troops  in  the  quiet 
waters;  and  I  could  see  that  this  basin  of  the  antarctic 
pole  served  as  a  place  of  refuge  to  the  cetacea  too  closely 
tracked  by  the  hunters.  I  also  noticed  long  whitish  lines 
of  salpse,  a  kind  of  gregarious  mollusc,  and  large  medusae 
floating  between  the  reeds. 

At  nine  we  landed;  the  sky  was  brightening,  the  clouds 
were  flying  to  the  south,  and  the  fog  seemed  to  be  leaving 
the  cold  surface  of  the  waters.  Captain  Nemo  went  to- 
ward the  peak,  which  he  doubtless  meant  to  be  kis  obser- 
vatory. It  was  a  painful  ascent  over  the  sharp  lava  and 
the  pumice-stones,  in  an  atmosphere  often  impregnated 
with  a  sulphurous  smell  from  the  smoking-cracks.  For  a 
man  unaccustomed  to  walk  on  land,  the  captain  climbed 
the  steep  slopes  with  an  agility  I  never  saw  ecjualed,  and 
which  a  hunter  would  have  envied.  We  were  two  liours 
getting  to  the  summit  of  this  peak,  which  v/as  half  por- 
phyry and  half  basalt.  From  thence  we  looked  upon  a 
vast  sea,  which,  toward  the  north,  distinctly  traced  its 
boundary  line  upon  the  sky.  At  our  feet  lay  fields  of 
daazling  whiteness.  Over  our  heads  a  pale  azure,  free 
from  fog.     To  the  north  the  disc  of  the  sun  seemed  like  & 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS.  237 

ball  of  fire,  already  horned  by  the  cutting  of  the  horizon. 
From  the  bosom  of  the  water  rose  sheaves  of  liquid  jets  by 
hundreds.  In  the  distance  lay  the  Nautilus  like  a  cetacean 
asleep  on  the  water.  Benind  us,  to  the  south  and  east,  an 
immense  country,  and  a  chaotic  heap  of  rocks  and  ice,  the 
limits  of  which  were  not  visible.  On  arriving  at  the  sum- 
mit, Captain  Nemo  carefully  took  the  mean  height  of  the 
barometer,  for  he  would  have  lo  consider  that  in  taking 
his  observations.  At  a  qu-arter  to  twelve,  the  sun,  then 
seen  only  by  refraction,  looked  like  a  golden  disc  shedding 
its  last  rays  upon  the  deserted  continent,  and  seas  which 
never  man  had  yet  plowed.  Captain  Nemo,  furnished 
with  a  lenticular  glass,  which,  by  means  of  a  mirror,  cor- 
rected the  refraction,  watched  the  orb  sinking  below  the 
horizon  by  degrees,  following  a  lengthened  diagonal.  I 
held  the  chronometer.  My  heart  beat  fast.  If  the  dis- 
appearance of  the  half-disc  of  the  sun  coincided  with 
twelve  o'clock  on  the  chronometer,  we  were  at  the  pole 
itself. 

"  Twelve!"  I  exclaimed. 

"The  South  Pole!"  replied  Nemo,  in  a  grave  voice, 
handing  me  the  glass,  which  showed  the  orb  cut  in  exactly 
equal  parts  by  the  horizon. 

I  looked  at  the  last  rays  crowning  the  peak  and  the 
shadows  mounting  by  degress  up  the  slope.  At  that 
moment  Captain  Nemo,  resting  with  his  hands  on  my 
shoulder,  said: 

"1,  Captain  Nemo,  on  this  21st  day  of  March,  1868, 
have  reached  the  south  pole  on  the  ninetieth  degree;  and 
T  take  possession  of  this  part  of  the  globe,  equal  to  one- 
sixth  of  the  known  continents." 

**  In  whose  name.  Captain?" 

'*In  my  own,  sir." 

Saying  which.  Captain  Nemo  unfurled  a  black  banner, 
bearing  an  N  in  gold  quartered  on  its  bunting.  Then, 
turning  toward  the  orb  of  day,  whose  last  rays  lapped  the 
horizon  of  the  sea,  he  exclaimed: 

•'  Adieu,  sun!  Disappear,  thou  radiant  orb;  rest  beneath 
this  open  sea,  and  let  a  night  of  six  months  spread  its 
ahadows  over  my  new  domain!" 


2',iS  iiO,OOV    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SBA8. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ACCIDENT?  OR  INCIDENT. 

The  next  day,  the  22d  of  March,  at  six  in  the  morning, 
preparations  for  depr.rture  were  begun.  The  last  gleams 
of  twilight  were  melting  into  night.  The  cold  was  great; 
the  constellations  shone  with  wonderful  intensity.  In  the 
zenith  glittered  that  wonderous  Southern  Cross — the  polar 
bear  of  antarctic  regions.  The  thermometer  showed 
twelve  degress  below  zero,  and  when  the  wind  freshened, 
it  was  most  biting.  Flakes  of  ice  increased  on  the  open 
water.  The  sea  seemed  everywhere  alike.  Numerous 
blackish  patches  spread  on  the  surface,  showing  the  forma- 
tion of  fresh  ice.  Evidently  the  southern  basin,  frozen 
during  the  six  winter  months,  was  absolutely  inaccessible. 
What  became  of  the  whales  in  that  time?  Doubtless  they 
went  beneath  the  icebergs,  seeking  more  practicable  seas. 
As  to  the  seals  and  morses,  accustomed  to  live  in  a  hard 
climate,  they  remained  on  these  icy  shores.  These  creat- 
ures have  the  instinct  to  break  holes  in  the  ice-fields,  and 
to  keep  them  open.  To  these  holes  they  come  for  breath; 
when  the  birds,  driven  away  by  the  cold,  have  emigrated 
to  the  north,  these  sea  mammals  remain  sole  masters  of 
the  polar  continent.  But  the  reservoirs  were  filling  with 
water,  and  the  Nautilus  was  slowly  descending.  At  1,000 
feet  deep  it  stopped;  its  screw  beat  the  waves,  and  it  ad- 
vanced straight  toward  the  north,  at  a  speed  of  fifteen 
miles  an  hour.  Toward  night  it  was  already  floating  under 
the  immense  body  of  the  iceberg.  At  three  in  the  morn- 
ing I  was  awakened  by  a  violent  shock.  I  sat  up  in  my 
bed  and  listened  in  the  darkness,  when  I  was  thrown  into 
the  middle  of  the  room.  The  Nautilns,  after  having 
strnck,  had  rebounded  violently.  I  groped  along  the 
partition,  and  by  the  staircase  to  the  saloon,  which  was 
lit  by  the  luminous  ceiling.  The  furniture  was  upset. 
Fortunately  the  windows  were  firmly  set,  and  had  held 
fast.  The  pictures  on  the  starboard-side,  from  being  no 
longer  vertical,  were  clinging  to  the  paper,  whilst  those 
on  the  portNside  were  hanging  at  least  a  foot  from  the  wall. 
The  J»jautilus  was  lying  on  its  starboard-side,  perfectly 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER   THE    SEAS.  239 

motionless.  I  heard  footsteps,  and  a  confasion  of  voices; 
but  Captain  Nemo  did  not  appear.  As  I  was  leaving  the 
saloon,  Ned  Land  and  Conseil  entered. 

*'*What  is  the  matter?"  said  I,  at  once. 

*'  I  came  to  ask  yon,  sir,"  said  Conseil. 

"  Confound  it!"  exclaimed  the  Canadian,  **I  know  well 
enough!  The  Nautilus  has  struck;  and  judging  by  the 
way  she  lies,  I  do  not  think  she  will  right  herself  as  she 
did  the  first  time  in  Torres  Straits.'^ 

"  But,"  I  asked,  "  has  she  at  least  come  to  the  surface 
of  the  sea?" 

"  We  do  not  know,"  said  Conseil. 

''It  is  easy  to  decide,"  I  answered.  I  consulted  the 
manometer.  To  my  great  surprise  it  showed  a  depth  of 
more  than  180  fathoms.  "What  does  that  mean?"  I 
exclaimed. 

"  We  must  ask  Captain  Nemo,"  said  Conseil. 

"  But  where  shall  we  find  him?"  said  Ned  Land. 

**  Follow  me,"  said  I  to  my  companions. 

We  left  the  saloon.  There  was  no  one  in  the  library. 
At  the  center  staircase,  by  the  berths  of  the  ship's  crew, 
there  was  no  one.  I  thought  that  Captain  Nemo  must  be 
in  the  pilot's  cage.  It  was  best  to  wait.  We  all  returned 
to  the  saloon.  For  twenty  minutes  we  remained  thus, 
trying  to  hear  the  slightest  noise  which  might  be  made  on 
board  the  Nautilus,  when  Captain  Nemo  entered.  He 
seemed  not  to  see  us;  his  face,  generally  so  impassive, 
showed  signs  of  uneasiness.  He  watched  the  compass 
silently,  then  the  manometer;  and  going  to  the  planisphere, 
placed  his  finger  on  a  spot  representing  tlie  southern  seas. 
I  would  not  interrupt  him;  but  some  minutes  later,  when 
he  turned  toward  me,  I  said,  using  one  of  his  own  expres- 
sions in  the  Torres  Straits: 

''An  incident.  Captain?" 

"  No,  sir;  an  accident  this  time." 

"Serious?" 

"  Perhaps." 

'*  Is  the  danger  immediate?" 

"No." 

"  The  Nautilus  has  stranded?" 

"  Yes." 

"  And  this  has  happened — how?" 

**From  a,  caprice  of  nature,  not  from  the  ignorance  of 


240  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS, 

man.  Not  a  mistake  has  been  made  in  the  working. 
But  we  cannot  prevent  equilibrium  from  producing  its 
effects.  We  may  brave  human  laws,  but  we  cannot  resist 
natural  ones," 

Captain  Nemo  had  chosen  a  strange  moment  for  utter- 
ing this  philosophical  reflection.  On  the  whole,  his  an- 
swer helped  me  a  little. 

'*  May  I  ask,  sir,  the  cause  of  this  accident?" 

*'  An  enormous  block  of  ice,  a  whole  mountain,  has 
turned  over,"  he  replied.  "When  icebergs  are  under- 
mined at  their  base  by  warmer  water  or  reiterated  shocks, 
their  center  of  gravity  rises,  and  the  whole  thing  turns 
over.  This  is  what  has  happened;  one  of  those  blocks  as 
it  fell,  struck  the  Nautilus,  then,  gliding  under  its  hull, 
raised  it  with  irresistible  force,  bringing  it  into  beds 
which  are  not  so  thick,  where  it  is  lying  on  its  side." 

"  But  can  we  not  get  the  Nautilus  off  by  emptying  its 
reservoirs,  that  it  may  regain  its  equilibrium?" 

"  That,  sir,  is  being  done  at  this  moment.  You  can 
hear  the  pump  working.  Look  at  the  needle  of  the 
manometer;  it  shows  that  the  Nautilus  is  rising,  but  the 
block  of  ice  is  rising  with  it,  and,  until  some  obstacle 
stops  its  ascending  motion,  our  position  cannot  be 
altered." 

Indeed,  the  Nautilus  still  held  the  same  position  to 
starboard;  doubtless  it  would  right  itself  when  the  block 
stopped.  But  at  this  moment  who  knows  if  we  may  not 
strike  the  upper  part  of  the  iceberg,  and  if  we  may  not 
be  frightfully  crushed  between  the  two  glassy  surfaces? 
I  reflected  on  all  the  consequences  of  our  position.  Cap- 
tain Nemo  never  took  his  eyes  off  the  manometer.  Since 
the  fall  of  the  iceberg,  the  Nautilus  had  risen  about  a 
hundred  and  fifty  feet,  but  it  still  made  the  same  angle 
with  the  perpendicular.  Suddenly  a  slight  movement  was 
felt  in  the  hold.  Evidently  it  was  righting  a  little. 
Things  hanging  in  the  saloon  were  sensibly  returning  to 
their  normal  position.  The  partitions  were  nearing  the 
upright.  No  one  spoke.  With  beating  hearts  we  watched 
and  felt  the  straightening.  The  boards  became  horizon- 
tal under  our  feet.     Ten  minutes  passed. 

"At  last  we  have  righted!"  I  exclaimed. 

"  Yes,"  said  Captain  Nemo,  going  to  the  door  of  the 
saloon. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEH   THE    SEAS.  241 

But  are  we  floating?"  I  asked. 

**  Certainly,"  he  replied;  since  the  reservoirs  are  not 
empty;  and,  when  empty,  the  Nautilus  must  rise  to  the 
surface  of  the  sea." 

We  were  in  open  sea;  but  at  a  distance  of  about  ten 
yards,  on  either  side  of  the  Nautilus,  rose  a  dazzling  wall 
of  ice.  Above  and  beneath  the  same  wall.  Above,  be- 
cause the  lower  surface  of  the  iceberg  stretched  over 
us  like  an  immense  ceiling.  Beneath,  because  the  over- 
turned block,  having  slid  by  degrees,  had  found  a  rest- 
ing-place on  the  lateral  walls,  which  kept  it  in  that  posi- 
tion. The  Nautilus  was  really  imprisoned  in  a  perfect 
tunnel  of  ice  more  than  twenty  yards  in  breadth,  filled 
with  quiet  water.  It  was  easy  to  get  out  of  it  by  going 
either  forward  or  backward,  and  then  make  a  free  passage 
under  the  iceberg,  some  hundreds  of  yards  deeper.  The 
luminous  ceiling  had  been  extinguished,  but  the  saloon 
was  still  resplendent  with  intense  light.  It  was  the  power- 
ful reflection  from  the  glass  partition  sent  violently  back 
to  the  sheets  of  the  lantern.  I  cannot  describe  the  effect 
of  the  voltaic  rays  upon  the  great  blocks  so  capriciously 
cut;  upon  every  angleji^every  ridge,  every  facet,  was 
thrown  a  different  light,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
veins  running  througli  the  ice;  a  dazzling  mine  of  gems, 
particularly  of  sapphires,  their  blue  rays  crossing  with 
the  green  of  the  emerald.  Here  and  there  were  opal 
shades  of  wonderful  softness,  running  through  bright 
spots  like  diamonds  of  fire,  the  brilliancy  of  which  the 
eye  could  not  bear.  The  power  of  the  lantern  seemed  in- 
creased a  hundred-fold,  like  a  lamp  through  the  lenticular 
plates  of  a  first-class  lighthouse. 

"  How  beautiful!  how  beautiful!"  cried  Conseil, 

"Yes,  I  said,  "it  is  a  wonderful  sight.  Is  it  not, 
Ned?" 

"Yes,  confound  it!  Yes,"  answered  Ned  Land,  "it 
is  superb!  I  am  mad  at  being  obliged  to  admit  it.  No 
one  has  ever  seen  anything  like  it;  but  the  sight  may  cost 
us  dear.  And  if  I  must  say  all,  I  think  we  are  seeing 
here  things  which  God  never  intended  man  to  see." 

Ned  was  right;  it  was  too  beautiful.  Suddenly  a  cry 
from  Conseil  made  mo  turn. 

"What  is  it?"  I  ask-d. 


S4:3  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

"Shut  your  eyes,  sir!  do  not  look,  sir!"  Saying  which, 
Conseil  clapped  his  hands  over  his  eyes. 

'*But  what  is  the  matter,  my  boy?" 

"  I  am  dazzled,  blinded." 

My  eyes  turned  involuntarily  toward  the  glass,  but  I 
could  not  stand  tlie  fire  which  seemed  to  devour  them.  I 
understood  what  had  happened.  The  Nautilus  had  put 
on  full-speed.  All  the  quiet  luster  of  the  ice-walls  was  at 
once  changed  into  flashes  of  lightning.  The  fire  from 
these  myriads  of  diamonds  was  blinding.  It  required 
some  time  to  calm  our  troubled  looks.  At  last  the  hands 
were  taken  down. 

"Faith,  I  should  never  have  believed  it,"  said  Conseil. 

It  was  then  five  in  the  morning;  and  at  that  moment  a 
shock  was  felt  at  the  bows  of  the  Nautilus.  I  knew  that 
its  spur  had  struck  a  block  of  ice.  It  must  have  been  a 
false  maneuver,  for  this  submarine  tunnel,  obstructed  by 
blocks,  was  not  very  easy  navigation.  I  thought  that 
Captain  Nemo,  by  changing  his  course,  would  either  turn 
these  obstacles,  or  else  follow  the  windings  of  the  tunnel. 
In  any  case,  the  road  before  us  could  not  be  entisely 
blocked.  But^  contrary  to  my  expectations,  the  Nautilus 
took  a  decided  retrograde  motiov. 

"  We  are  going  backward,"  said  Conseil. 

"  Yes,"  I  replied.  "  This  end  of  the  tunnel  can  have 
no  egress." 

"  And  then?" 

*'  Then,"  said  I,  "  the  working  is  easy.  We  must  go 
back  again,  and  go  out  at  the  southern  opening.  That  is 
all." 

In  speaking  thus,  I  wished  to  appear  more  confident 
than  I  really  was.  But  the  retrograde  motion  of  the 
Nautilus  was  increasing;  and,  reversing  the  screw,  it 
carried  us  at  great  speed. 

"  It  will  be  a  hinderance,"  said  Ned. 

"  What  does  it  matter,  some  hours  more  or  less,  pro- 
vided we  get  out  at  last?" 

"Yes."  repeated  Ned  Land,  "provided  we  do  get  out 
at  last!" 

For  a  short  time  I  walked  from  the  saloon  to  the  library. 
My  companions  were  silent.  I  soon  threw  myself  on  an 
ottoman,  and  took  a  book,  which  my  eyes  overran  me- 
chanically.   A  quarter  of  an  hour  after,  Conseil,  approach. 


30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  24? 

ing  me,  said,  **  Is  what  you  are  reading  very  interesting, 
sir?" 

'*  Very  interesting!"  I  replied. 

**  I  should  think  so,  sir.  It  is  your  own  book  you  are 
reading." 

"  My  book?" 

And  indeed  I  was  holding  in  my  hand  the  work  on  the 
''Great  Submarine  depths."  I  did  not  even  dream  of  it. 
I  closed  the  book,  and  returned  to  my  walk.  Ned  and 
Conseil  rose  to  go. 

*'  Stay  here,  my  friends,"  said  I,  detaining  them.  "  Let 
us  remain  together  until  we  are  out  of  this  block." 

**  As  you  please,  sir,"  Conseil  replied. 

Some  hours  passed.  I  often  looked  at  the  instruments 
hanging  from  the  partition.  The  manometer  showed  that 
the  Nautilus  kept  at  a  constant  depth  of  more  than  three 
hundred  yards;  the  compass  still  pointed  to  the  south; 
the  log  indicated  a  speed  of  twenty  miles  an  hour,  which, 
in  such  a  cramped  space,  was  very  great.  But  Captain 
Nemo  knew  that  he  could  not  hasten  too  much,  and  that 
minutes  were  worth  ages  to  us.  At  twenty-five  minutes 
past  eight  a  second  shock  took  place,  this  time  from  be- 
hind. I  turned  pale.  My  companions  were  close  by  my 
side.  I  seized  Conseil's  hand.  Our  looks  expressed  our 
feelings  better  than  words.  At  this  moment  the  captain 
entered  the  saloon.     I  went  up  to  him. 

"  Our  course  is  barred  southward?"  I  asked. 

**  Yes,  sir.  The  iceberg  has  shifted,  and  closed  every 
outlet." 

"  We  are  blocked  up,  then?" 

*'  Yes." 


CHAPTEK  XVI. 

WANT  OJF  AIR. 

Thus,  around  the  Nautilus,  above  and  below,  was  an 
impenetrable  wall  of  ice.  We  were  prisoners  to  the  ice- 
berg. I  watched  the  captain.  His  countenance  had  re- 
sumed its  habitual  imperturbability. 

"  Gentlemen,"  he  said,  calmly,  '"  there  are  two  ways  of 
dying  in  the  circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed." 
(This  inexplicable  person  had  the  air  of  a  mathematical 
i?rofessor  lecturing  to  his  pupils.)     "The  first  is  to  be 


244  30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

crushed;  the  second  is  to  die  of  suffocation.  I  do  not 
speak  of  the  possibility  of  dying  of  hunger,  for  the  supply 
of  provisions  in  the  Nautilus  will  certainly  last  longer  than 
we  shall.     Let  us  then  calculate  our  chances." 

*' As  to  suffocation,  Captain,"  I  replied,  "  that  is  not  to 
be  feared,  because  our  reservoirs  are  full." 

"  Just  so;  but  that  will  only  yield  two  days'  supply  of 
air.  Now,  for  thirty-six  hours  we  have  been  hidden  under 
the  water,  and  already  the  heavy  atmosphere  of  the  Nauti- 
lus requires  renewal.  In  forty-eight  hours  our  reserve  will 
be  exhausted." 

"  Well,  Captain,  can  we  be  delivered  before  forty-eight 
hours?" 

"  We  will  attempt  it,  a*  least,  by  piercing  the  wall  that 
surrounds  us." 

**  On  which  side?" 

"  Sound  will  tell  us.  I  am  going  to  run  the  Nautilus 
aground  on  the  lower  bank,  and  my  men  will  attack  the 
iceberg  on  the  side  that  is  least  thick." 

Captain  Nemo  went  out.  Soon  I  discovered  by  a  hissing 
noise  that  t-he  water  was  entering  the  reservoirs.  The 
Nautilus  sank  slowly,  and  rested  on  the  ice  at  a  depth  of 
350  yards,  the  depth  at  which  the  lower  bank  was  im- 
mersed. 

"  My  friends,"  I  said,  "  our  situation  is  serious,  but  I 
rely  on  your  courage  and  energy." 

"  Sir,"  replied  the  Canadian,  '*Iam  ready  to  do  any- 
thing for  the  general  safety." 

"Good!  Ned,"  and  I  held  out  my  hand  to  the  Cana- 
dian. 

"  I  will  add,"  he  continued,  "  that  being  as  handy  with 
the  pickax  as  with  the  harpoon,  if  I  can  be  useful  to  the 
captain,  he  can  command  my  services." 

'*  He  will  not  refuse  your  help.     Come,  Ned!" 

I  led  him  to  the  room  where  the  crew  of  the  Nautilus 
were  putting  on  their  cork-jackets.  I  told  the  captain  of 
Ned's  proposal,  which  he  accepted.  The  Canadian  put 
on  his  sea-costume,  and  vyas  ready  as  soon  as  his  compai)- 
ions.  When  Ned  was  dressed,  I  re-entered  the  drawing- 
room,  where  the  panes  of  glass  were  open,  and,  posted 
near  Conseil,  I  examined  the  ambient  beds  that  supported 
the  Nautilus.  Some  instants  after,  we  saw  a  dozen  of  the 
crew  set  foot  on  the  bank  of  ice,  and  among  them  Ned 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  245 

Land,  easily  known  by  his  stature.  Captain  Nemo  was 
with  them.  Before  proceeding  to  dig  the  walls,  he  took 
the  soundings,  to  be  sure  of  working  in  the  right  direc- 
tion. Long  sounding  lines  were  sunk  in  the  side  walls, 
but  after  fifteen  yards  they  were  again  stopped  by  the 
thick  wall.  It  was  useless  to  attack  it  on  the  ceiling-like 
surface,  since  the  iceberg  itself  measured  more  than  400 
yards  in  height.  Captain  Nemo  then  sounded  the  lower 
surface.  There  ten  yards  of  wall  separated  us  from  the  water, 
so  great  was  the  thickness  of  the  icefield.  It  was  necessary 
therefore,  to  cut  from  it  a  piece  equal  in  extent  to  the 
water  line  of  the  Nautilus.  There  were  about  6,000  cubic 
yards  to  detach,  so  as  to  dig  a  hole  by  which  we  could 
descend  to  the  icefield.  The  work  was  begun  immediately, 
and  carried  on  with  indefatigable  energy.  Instead  of  dig- 
ging round  the  Nautilus,  which  would  have  involved 
greater  difficulty.  Captain  Nemo  had  an  immense  trench 
made  at  eight  yards  from  the  port  quarter.  Then  the 
men  set  to  work  simultaneously  with  their  screws,  on 
several  points  of  its  circumference.  Presently  the  pickax 
attacked  this  compact  matter  vigorously,  and  large  blocks 
■were  detached  from  the  mass.  By  a  curious  effect  of 
specific  gravity,  these  blocks,  lighter  than  water,  fled,  so 
to  speak,  to  the  vault  of  the  tunnel,  that  increased  in 
thickness  at  the  top  in  proportion  as  it  diminished  at  the 
base.  But  that  mattered  little,  so  long  as  the  lower  part 
grew  thinner.  After  two  hours  hard  work,  Ned  Land 
came  in  exhausted.  He  and  his  comrades  were  repfaced 
by  new  workers,  whom  Conseil  and  I  joined.  The  second 
lieutenant  of  the  Nautilus  superintended  us.  The  water 
seemed  singularly  cold,  but  I  soon  got  warm  handling  the 
pickax.  My  movements  were  free  enough,  although  they 
were  made  under  a  pressure  of  thirty  atmospheres.  When 
I  re-entered,  after  working  two  hours,  to  take  some  food 
and  rest,  I  found  a  perceptible  difference  between  the  pure 
fluid  with  which  the  Eouquayrol  engine  supplied  me,  and 
the  atmosphere  of  the  Nautilus  already  charged  with  car- 
bonic acid.  The  air  had  not  been  renewed  for  forty-eight 
hours,  and  its  vivifying  qualities  were  considerably  en- 
feebled. However,  after  a  lapse  of  twelve  hours,  we  had 
only  raised  a  block  of  ice  one  yaid  thick,  on  the  marked 
surface,  which  was  about  600  cubic  yards!  Eeckoning  that 
it  took  twelve  hours  to  accomplish  this  much,  it  would 


246  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

take  five  nights  and  four  days  to  bring  this  enterprise  to 
a  satisfactory  conclusion.  Five  nights  and  four  days! 
And  we  have  only  air  enough  for  two  days  in  the  reser- 
voirs! 

"  Without  taking  into  account,"  said  Ked,  "  that,  even 
if  we  get  out  of  this  infernal  prison,  we  shall  also  be  im- 
prisoned under  the  iceberg,  shut  out  from  all  possible  com- 
munication with  the  atmosphere." 

Who  could  then  foresee  the  minimum  of  time  necessary 
for  our  deliverance?  We  might  be  suffocated  before  the 
Nautilus  could  regain  the  surface  of  the  waves!  Was  it 
destined  to  perish  in  this  ice-tomb,  with  all  those  it  in- 
closed? The  situation  was  terrible.  But  every  one  had 
looked  the  danger  in  the  face,  and  each  was  determined 
to  do  his  duty  to  the  last. 

As  I  expected,  during  the  night  a  new  block  a  yard 
square  was  carried  away,  and  still  further  sank  the  im- 
mense hollow.  But  in  the  morning  when,  dressed  in  my 
cork-jacket,  I  t»aversed  the  slushy  mass  at  a  temperature 
of  six  or  seven  degrees  below  zero,  I  remarked  that  the 
side  walls  were  gradually  closing  in.  The  beds  of  water 
furthest  from  the  trench,  that  were  not  warmed  by  the 
men's  mere  work,  showed  a  tendency  to  solidification.  In 
presence  of  this  new  and  imminent  danger,  what  would 
become  of  our  chances  of  safety,  and  how  hinder  the  solid- 
ification of  this  liquid  medium,  that  would  burst  the  par- 
titions of  the  Nautilus  like  glass! 

I  did  not  tell  my  companions  of  this  new  danger.  What 
was  the  use  of  damping  the  energy  they  displayed  in  the 
painful  work  of  escape?  But  when  I  went  on  board  again, 
I  told  Captain  Nemo  of  this  grave  complication. 

"I  know  it,"  he  said,  in  that  calm  tone  which  could 
counteract  the  most  terrible  apprehensions.  "It  is  one 
danger  more;  but  I  see  no  way  of  escaping  it;  tne  only 
cnance  of  safety  is  to  go  quicker  than  solidification.  We 
must  be  beforehand  with  it,  that  is  all."  ' 

On  this  day  for  several  hours  I  used  my  pickax  vigor- 
ously. The  work  kept  me  up.  Besides,  to  work  was  to 
quit  the  Nautilus,  and  breathe  directly  the  pure  air  drawn 
from  the  reservoirs,  and  supplied  by  our  apparatus,  and 
to  quit  the  impoverished  and  vitiated  atmosphere. 
Toward  evening  the  trench  was  dug  one  yard  deeper. 
When  I  returned  on  board  I  was  nearly  suffocated  by  the 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  247 

carbonic  acid  with  which  the  air  was  filled — ah?  if  we  had 
only  the  chemical  means  to  drive  away  this  deleterious 
gas.  We  had  plenty  of  oxygen;  all  this  water  contained 
a  considerable  quantity,  and  by  dissolving  it  with  our 
powerful  piles,  it  would  restore  the  vivifying  fluid.  I  had 
thought  well  over  it,  but  of  what  good  was  that,  since  the 
carbonic  acid  produced  by  our  respiration  had  invaded 
every  part  of  the  vessel?  To  absorb  it,  it  was  necessary  to 
fill  some  jars  with  caustic  potash,  and  to  shake  them  in- 
cessantly. Now  this  substance  was  wanting  on  board,  and 
nothing  could  replace  it.  On  that  evening.  Captain 
Nemo  ought  to  open  the  taps  of  his  reservoirs,  and  let 
some  pure  air  into  the  interior  of  the  Nautilus;  without 
this  precaution,  we  could  not  get  rid  of  the  sense  of  suffo- 
cation.. The  next  day,  March  26,  I  resumed  my  miner's 
work,  it  beginning  the  fifth  yard.  The  side  walls  and 
the  lower  surface  of  the  iceberg  thickened  visibly.  It  was 
evident  that  they  would  meet  before  the  Nautilus  was 
able  to  disengage  itself.  Despair  seized  me  for  an  instant, 
my  pickax  nearly  fell  from  my  hands.  What  was  the 
good  of  digging  if  I  must  be  suffocated,  crushed  by  the 
water  that  was  turning  into  stone? — a  punishment  that 
the  ferocity  of  savages  even  would  not  have  invented! 
Just  then  Captain  Nemo  passed  near  me.  I  touched  his 
hand  and  showed  him  the  walls  of  our  prison.  The  wall  to 
port  had  advanced  to  at  least  four  yards  from  the  hull  of 
the  Nautilus.  The  captain  understood  me,  and  signed 
me  to  follow  him.  We  went  on  board.  I  took  off  my  cork- 
jacket,  and  accompanied  him  into  the  drawing-room. 

"  M.  Aronnox,  we  must  attempt  some  desperate  means, 
or  we  shall  be  sealed  up  in  this  solidified  water  as  in  cement." 

"  Yes;  but  what  is  to  be  done?  " 

"Ah!  if  my  Nautilus  were  strong  enough  to  bear  this 
pressure  without  being  crushed!" 

"Well?"  I  asked,  not  catching  the  captain's  idea. 

**  Do  you  not  understand,"  he  replied,  "  that  this  con- 
gelation of  the  water  will  help  us?  Do  you  not  see  that, 
by  its  solidification,  it  would  burst  through  this  field  of 
ice  that  imprisons  us,  as,  when  it  freezes,^  it  bursts  the 
hardest  stones?  Do  you  not  perceive  that  it  would  be  an 
agent  of  safety  instead  of  destruction?" 

"  Yes,  Captain,  perhaps.  But  whatever  resistance  to 
crushing  the  Nautilus  possesses,  it  could  not  support  this 


348  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

terrible  pressure,  and  would  be  flattened  like  an  iron 
plate." 

"  I  know  it,  sir.  Therefore  we  must  not  reckon  on  the 
aid  of  Nature,  but  on  our  own  exertions.  We  must  stop 
this  solidification.  Not  only  will  the  side  walls  be  pressed 
together,  but  there  is  not  ten  feet  of  water  before  or  be- 
hind the  Nautilus.  The  congelation  gains  on  us  on  all 
sides." 

"How  long  will  the  air  in  the  reservoirs  last  for  us  to 
breathe  on  board?" 

The  captain  looked  in  my  face.  ''After  to-morrow  they 
will  be  empty!" 

A  cold  sweat  came  over  me.  •  However,  ought  I  to  have 
been  astonished  at  the  answer?  On  March  22  the  Nauti- 
lus was  in  the  open  polar  seas.  We  were  at  26**.  For  five 
days  we  had  lived  on  the  reserve  on  board.  And  what 
was  left  of  the  respirable  air  must  be  kept  for  the  work- 
ers. Even  now,  as  I  write,  my  recollection  is  still  so 
vivid,  that  an  involuntary  terror  seizes  me,  and  my  lungs 
seem  to  be  without  air.  Meanwhile  Captain  Nemo  re- 
flected silently,  and  evidently  an  idea  had  struck  him; 
but  he  seemed  to  reject  it.  At  last  these  words  escaped 
his  lips: 

''Boiling  water!"  he  muttered. 

"Boiling  water!"  I  cried. 

"  Yes,  sir.  We  are  inclosed  in  a  space  that  is  relatively 
confined.  Would  not  jets  of  boiling  water,  constantly  in- 
jected by  the  pumps,  raise  the  temperature  in  this  part, 
and  stay  the  congelation?" 

"  Lot  us  try  it,"  I  said,  resolutely. 

"  Let  us  try  it,  Professor." 

The  thermometer  then  stood  at  seven  degrees  outside. 
Captain  Nemo  took  me  to  the  galleys,  where  the  vast  dis- 
tillatory machines  stood  that  furnished  the  drinkable  water 
by  evaporation.  They  filled  these  with  water,  and  all  the 
electric  heat  from  the  piles  was  thrown  through  the  worms 
bathed  in  the  liquid.  In  a  few  minutes  this  water  reached 
a  hundred  degrees.  It  was  directed  toward  the  pumps, 
while  fresh  water  replaced  it  in  proportion.  The  heat  de- 
veloped by  the  troughs  was  such  that  cold  water,  drawn  up 
from  the  sea,  after  only  having  gone  through  the  machines, 
came  boiling  into  the  body  of  the  pump.  The  injection 
was  begun,  and  three  hours  after  the  thermometer  marked 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  249 

iix  degrees  below  zero  outside.  One  degree  was  gained. 
Two  hours  later  the  thermometer  only  marked  four  de- 
grees. 

'*'  We  shall  succeed,"  I  said  to  the  captain,  after  having 
anxiously  watched  the  result  of  the  operation. 

"  I  think,"  he  answered,  *'  that  we  shall  not  be  crushed. 
We  have  no  more  than  suffocation  to  fear." 

During  the  night  the  temperature  of  the  water  rose  to 
one  degree  below  zero.  The  injections  could  not  carry  it 
to  a  higher  point.  But  as  the  congelation  of  the  sea-water 
produces  at  least  two  degrees,  I  was  at  last  reassured 
against  the  dangers  of  solidification. 

The  next  day,  March  27,  six  yards  of  ice  had  been  cleared, 
four  yards  only  remaining  to  be  cleared  away.  There  was 
yet  forty-eight  hours'  work.  The  air  could  not  be  renewed 
in  the  interior  of  the  Nautilus.  And  thrs  day  would  make 
it  worse.  An  intolerable  weight  oppressed  me.  Toward 
three  o'clock  in  the  evening  this  feeling  rose  to  a  violent 
degree.  Yawns  dislocated  my  jaws.  My  lungs  panted  as 
they  inhaled  this  burning  fluid,  which  become  rarefied 
more  and  more.  A  moral  torpor  took  hold  of  me.  I  was 
powerless,  almost  unconscious.  My  brave  Conseil,  though 
exhibiting  the  same  symptoms  and  suffering  in  the  same 
manner,  never  left  me.  He  took  my  hand  and  encouraged 
me,  and  I  heard  him  murmur,  "Oh,  if  I  could  only  not 
breathe,  so  as  to  lea^ve  more  air  for  my  master!" 

Tears  came  into  my  eyes  on  hearing  him  speak  thus.  If 
our  situation  to  all  was  intolerable  in  the  interior,  with 
what  haste  and  gladness  would  we  put  on  our  cork-jackets 
to  work  in  our  turn!  Pickaxes  sounded  on  the  frozen  ice 
beds.  Our  arms  ached,  the  skin  was  torn  off  our  hands. 
But  what  were  these  fatigues,  what  did  the  wounds  mat- 
ter? Vital  air  came  to  the  lungs!  we  breathed!  we 
breathed ! 

All  this  time  no  one  prolonged  his  voluntary  task 
beyond  the  prescribed  time.  His  task  accomplished,  each 
one  handed  in  turn  to  his  panting  companions  the 
apparatus  that  supplied  him  with  life.  Captain  Nemo  set 
the  example,  and  submitted  first  to  this  severe  discipline. 
When  the  time  came  he  gave  up  his  apparatus  to  another, 
and  returned  to  the  vitiated  air  on  board,  calm,  unflinch- 
ing, unmurmuring. 

On  that  day  the  ordinary  work  was  accomplished  with 


250  20,000    LEAGUES    UlsDER    THE    SEAS.  • 

unusual  vigor.  Only  two  yards  remained  to  be  raised 
from  the  surface.  Two  yards  only  separated  us  from  the 
open  sea.  But  the  reservoirs  were  nearly  emptied  of  air. 
The  little  that  remained  ought  to  be  kept  for  the  workers; 
not  a  particle  for  the  Nautilus.  AVhen  I  went  back  on 
board,  I  was  half  suffocated.  What  a  night!  I  know  not 
how  to  describe  it.  The  next  day  my  breathing  was 
oppressed.  Dizziness  accompanied  the  pain  in  my  head, 
and  made  me  like  a  drunken  man.  My  companions 
showed  the  same  symptoms.  Some  of  the  crew  had  rat- 
tling in  the  throat. 

On  that  day,  the  sixth  of  our  imprisonment.  Captain 
Nemo,  finding  the  pickaxes  work  too  slowly,  resolved  to 
crush  the  ice  bed  that  still  separated  us  from  the  liquid 
sheet.  This  man's  coolness  and  energy  never  forsook  him. 
He  subdued  his  physical  pains  by  moral  force. 

By  his  orders  the  vessel  was  lightened,  that  is  to  say, 
raised  from  the  ice  bed  by  a  change  of  specific  gravity. 
When  it  floated  they  towed  it  so  as  to  bring  it  above  the 
immense  trench  made  on  the  level  of  the  water  line. 
Then  filling  his  reservoirs  of  water,  he  descended  and  shut 
himself  up  in  the  hole. 

Just  then  all  the  crew  came  on  board,  and  the  double  door 
of  communication  was  shut.  The  Nautilus  then  rested 
on  the  bed  of  ice,  which  was  not  one  yard  thick,  and 
which  the  sounding  leads  had  perforated  in  a  thousand 
places  The  taps  of  the  reservoirs  were  then  opened,  and 
a  hundred  cubic  yards  of  water  was  let  in,  increasing  the 
weight  of  the  Nautilus  to  1,800  tons.  We  waited,  we 
listened,  forgetting  our  sufferings  in  hope.  Our  safety 
depended  on  this  last  chance.  Notwithstanding  the  buz- 
zing in  my  head,  I  soou  heard  the  humming  sound  under 
the  hull  of  the  Nautilus.  The  ice  cracked  with  a  singular 
noise,  like  tearing  paper,  and  the  Nautilus  sank. 

*'  We  are  off!"  murmured  Conseil  in  my  ear. 

I  could  not  answer  him.  I  seized  his  hand  and  pressed 
it  convulsively.  All  at  once,  carried  away  by  its  frightful 
overcharge,  the  Nautilus  sank  like  a  bullet  under  the 
waters,  that  is  to  say,  it  fell  as  if  it  was  in  a  vacuum.  Then 
all  the  electric  force  was  put  on  the  pumps;  that  soon  began 
to  let  the  water  out  of  the  reservoirs.  After  some  minutes 
our  fall  was  stopped.  Soon,  too,  the  manometer  indicated 
an  ascending  irjQYemeut.     The  screw  going  at  full  speed. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UN-DER    THE    SEAcil  ^5l 

made  the  iron  hull  tremble  to  its  very  bolts,  and  uVew  U3 
toward  the  north.  But  if  this  floating  under  the  ieeO^nrg 
is  to  last  another  day  before  we  reach  the  open  sea,  I  shaill 
be  dead  first. 

Half  stretched  upon  a  divan  in  the  library,  I  was  suffo- 
cating. My  face  was  purple,  my  lips  blue,  my  faculties 
suspended.  I  neither  saw  nor  heard.  All  notion  of  time 
had  gone  from  my  mind.  My  muscles  could  not  contract. 
I  do  not  know  how  many  hours  passed  thus,  but  I  was 
conscious  of  the  agony  that  was  coming  over  me.  1  felt 
as  if  I  was  going  to  die.  Suddenly  I  came  to.  Some 
breaths  of  air  penetrated  my  lungs.  Had  we  risen  to  the 
surface  of  the  waves?  Were  we  free  of  the  iceberg?  No; 
Ned  and  Conseil,  my  two  brave  friends,  were  sacrificing 
tliemselves  to  save  me.  Some  particles  of  air  still  remained 
at  the  bottom  of  one  apparatus.  Instead  of  using  it  they 
had  kept  it  for  me,  and  while  they  were  being  suffocated, 
they  gave  me  life  drop  by  drop.  I  wanted  to  push  back 
the  thing;  they  held  my  hands,  and  for  some  moments  I 
breathed  freely.  I  looked  at  the  clock;  it  was  eleven  m 
the  morning.  It  ought  to  be  the  28fch  of  March.  The 
Nautilus  went  at  a  frightful  pace,  forty  miles  an  hour.  It 
literally  tore  through  the  water.  Where  was  Captain 
Nemo?  Had  he  succumbed?  Were  his  companions  dead 
with  him?  At  the  moment,  the  manometer  indicated  that 
we  were  not  more  than  twenty  feet  from  the  surface.  A 
mere  plate  of  ice  separated  us  from  the  atmosphere;  could 
we  not  break  it?  Perhaps.  In  any  case  the  Nautilus  was 
going  to  attempt  it.  I  felt  it  attaining  an  oblique  position, 
lowering  the  stern,  and  raising  the  bows.  The  introduc- 
tion of  water  had  been  the  means  of  disturbing  its  equi- 
librium. Then,  impelled  by  its  powerful  screw,  it  attacked 
the  ice-field  from  beneath  like  a  formidable  battering-ram. 
It  broke  it  by  backing  and  then  rushing  forward  against 
the  field,  which  gradually  gave  way;  and  at  last,  dashing 
suddenly  against  it,  shot  forward  on  the  icy  field,  that 
crushed  beneath  its  weight.  The  panel  was  opened — one 
might  say  torn  off — and  the  pure  air  came  in  in  abundance 
to  all  parts  of  the  Nautilus. ' 


aSa  'i-U^OOO    leagues    under    the    SEJLS. 


7^-^ 


OHAPTEE  XVII. 

PROM  CAPE  HORN  TO  THE  AMAZON. 

How  I  got  on  the  platform,  I  have  no  idea;  perhaps  the 
Canadian  had  carried  me  there.  But  I  breathed,  I  inhaled 
the  vivifying  sea-air.  My  two  companions  were  getting 
drunk  with  the  fresh  particles.  The  other  unhappy  men 
had  been  so  long  without  food,  that  they  could  *not  with 
impunity  indulge  in  the  simplest  aliments  that  were  given 
them.  We,  on  the  contrary,  had  no  need  to  restrain  our- 
selves; we  could  draw  this  air  freely  into  our  lungs,  and  it 
was  the  breeze,  the  breeze  alond,  that  filled  us  with  this 
keen  enjoyment. 

'*Ah!"  said  Conseil,  *' how  delightful  this  oxygen  is! 
Master  need  not  fear  to  breathe  it.  There  is  enough  for 
everybody." 

Ned  Land  did  not  speak,  but  he  opened  his  jaws  wide 
enough  to  frighten  a  shark.  Our  strength  soon  returned, 
and  when  I  looked  round  me,  I  saw  we  were  alone  on  the 
platform.  The  foreign  seamen  in  the  Nautilus  were  con- 
tented with  the  air  that  circulated  in  the  interior;  none  of 
them  had  come  to  drink  in  the  open  air. 

The  first  words  I  spoke  were  words  of  gratitude  and 
thankfulness  to  my  two  companions.  Ned  and  Oonseil 
had  prolonged  my  life  during  the  last  hours  of  this  long 
agoi;y.     All  my  gratitude  could  not  repay  such  devotion. 

"  My  friends,"  said  I,  *'  we  are  bound  one  to  the  other 
forever,  and  I  am  under  infinite  obligations  to  you." 

**  Which  I  shall  take  advantage  of,"  exclaimed  the  Ca- 
nadian. 

"  What  do  you  mean?"  said  Conseil. 

"  I  mean  that  I  shall  take  you  with  me  when  I  leave 
this  infernal  Nautilus." 

*'  Well,"  said  Conseil,  **  after  all  this,  are  we  going 
right?" 

**  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  for  we  are  going  the  way  of  the  sun, 
and  here  the  sun  is  in  the  north." 

"No  doubt,"  said  Ned  Land;  "but  it  remains  to  be 
seen   whether  he  will  bring  the  ship  into  the  Pacific  or 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  S53 

the  Atlantic  Ocean;   that  is,  into  frequented  or  deserted 
seas." 

I  could  not  answer  that  question,  and  I  feared  that 
Captain  Nemo  would  rather  take  ns  to  the  vast  ocean  that 
touches  the  coast  of  Asia  and  America  at  the  same  time. 
He  would  thus  complete  the  tour  round  the  submarine 
world,  and  return  to  tliose  waters  in  which  the  Nautilus 
could  sail  freely.  We  ought,  before  long,  to  settle  this 
important  point.  The  Nautilus  went  at  a  rapid  pace. 
The  polar  circle  was  soon  pa?sed,  and  the  course  shaped 
t(A-  Cape  Horn.  We  were  off  the  American  point,  March 
31,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  Then  all  our  past 
sufferings  were  forgotten.  The  remembrance  of  that  im- 
prisonment in  the  ice  was  effaced  from  our  minds.  We 
only  thought  of  the  future.  Captain  Nemo  did  not  appear 
again  either  in  the  drawing-room  or  on  the  platform.  The 
point  shown  each  day  on  the  planisphere,  and  marked  by 
the  lieutenant,  showed  me  the  exact  direction  of  the 
Nautilus.  Now,  on  that  evening,  it  was  evident,  *:o  my 
great  satisfaction,  that  we  were  going  back  to  the  North 
by  the  Atlantic.  The  next  day,  April  1,  when  the  Nau- 
tilus ascended  to  the  surface,  some  minutes  before  noon, 
we  sighted  land  to  the  west.  It  was  Terra  del  Fuego, 
which  the  first  navigators  named  thus  from  seeing  the 
quantity  of  smoke  which  rose  from  the  natives'  huts. 
The  coast  seemed  low  to  me,  but  in  the  distance  rose 
high  mountains.  I  even  thought  I  had  a  glimpse  of 
Mount  Sarmiento,  that  rises  2,070  yards  above  the  level 
of  the  sea,  with  a  very  pointed  summit,  which,  accord- 
ingly as  it  is  misty  or  clear,  is  a  sign  of  fine  or  of  wet 
weather.  At  this  moment  the  peak  was  clearly  defined 
against  the  sky.  The  Nautilus,  diving  again  under  the 
water,  approached  the  coast,  which  vas  only  some  few 
miles  off.  From  the  glass  windows  in  the  drawing-room, 
I  saw  long  sea- weeds,  and  gigantic  fuci,  and  varech,  of 
which  the  open  polar  sea  contains  so  many  specimens,  with 
their  sharp  polished  filaments;  they  measured  about  300 
yards  in  length — real  cables,  thicker  than  one's  thumb; 
and  having  great  tenacity,  they  are  often  used  as  ropes  for 
vessels.  Another  weed  known  as  velp,  with  leaves  four 
feet  long,  buried  in  the  coral  concretions,  hung  at  the  bot- 
tom. It  served  as  nest  and  food  for  myriads  of  Crustacea 
and  molhisks,  crabs  and  cuttle-fish.    'J'hcre  sea-s  an  1  ottev* 


254  30,000    LEAGUES    UN-DER    THE    8EA8. 

bad  splendid  repasts,  eating  the  flesh  of  fisli  with  sea-vege- 
tables, according  to  the  English  fashion.  Over  this  fertile 
and  luxuriant  ground  the  Nautilus  passed  with  great  rapid- 
ity. Toward  evening  it  approached  the  Falkland  group, 
the  rough  summits  of  which  I  recognized  the  following 
day.  The  depth  of  the  sea  was  moderate.  On  the  shores, 
our  nets  brought  in  beautiful  specimens  of  sea-weed,  and 
particularly  a  certain  fucus,  the  roots  of  which  Avere  filled 
with  the  best  mussels  in  the  world.  Geese  and  ducks  fell 
by  dozens  on  the  platform,  and  soon  took  their  phices  in 
the  pantry  on  board.  With  regard  to  fish,  I  observed  es- 
pecially specimens  of  the  goby  species,  some  two  feet  long, 
all  over  white  and  yellow  spots.  I  admired  also  numerous 
medusae,  and  the  finest  of  the  sort,  the  crysaora,  peculiar 
to  the  sea  about  the  Falkland  Isles.  I  should  have  liked 
to  preserve  some  specimens  of  these  delicate  zoophytes; 
but  they  are  only  like  clouds,  shadows,  apparitions,  that 
sink  and  evaporate,  when  out  of  their  native  element. 

When  the  last  heights  of  the  Falklands  had  disa})peared 
from  the  horizon  flie  Nautilus  sank  to  between  twenty  and 
twenty-five  yards,  and  followed  the  Amefican  coast. 
Captain  Nemo  did  not  show  himself.  Until  the  3d  of 
April  we  did  not  quit  the  shores  of  Patagonia,  sometimes 
under  the  ocean,  sometimes  at  the  surface.  The  Nautilus 
passed  beyond  the  large  estuary  formed  by  the  mouth  of 
the  Plata,  and  was  on  the  4th  of  April,  fifty-six  n'liles  off 
Uruguay.  Its  direction  was  northward,  and  followed 
the  long  windings  of  the  coast  of  South  America.  We 
had  then  made  16,000  miles  since  our  embarkation  in  the 
seas  of  Japan.  About  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning  the 
Tropic  of  Capricorn  was  crossed  on  the  thirty-seventh 
meridian,  and  we  passed  Cape  Frio  standing  out  to  sea. 
Captain  Nemo,  to  Ned  Land's  great  displeasure,  did  not 
like  the  neighborhood  of  the  inhabited  coasts  of  Brazil, 
for  we  went  at  a  giddy  speed.  Not  a  fish,  not  a  bird  of 
the  swiftest  kind  could  follow  us,  and  the  natural  curiosi- 
ties of  these  seas  escaped  all  observation. 

This  speed  was  kept  up  for  several  days,  and  in  the 
evening  of  the  9th  of  April  we  sighted  the  most  easterly 
point  of  South  America  that  forms  Cape  San  Roque.  But 
then  the  Nautilus  swerved  again,  and  sougiit  the  lowest 
depth  of  a  submarine  ,  valley  which  is  between  this  cape 
and   Sierra  Leone  on   the  African   coast.     This  valley 


20,000    LEAGUES    UisDER    THE    SEAS.  255 

bifurcates  to  the  parallel  of  the  Antilles,  and  terminates 
at  the  north  by  the  enormous  depression  of  9,000  yards. 
In  this  place,  the  geological  basin  of  the  ocean  forms,  as 
far  as  the  Lesser  Antilles,  a  cliff  of  three  and  a  half  milea 
perpendicular  in  height,  and  at  the  parallel  of  the  Cape 
Verd  Islands,  another  wall  nolji  less  considerable,  that 
incloses  thus  all  the  sunk  continent  of  the  Atlantic,  The 
bottom  of  this  immense  valley  is  dotted  with  some  mount- 
ains, that  give  to  these  submarine  places  a  picturesque 
aspect.  I  speak,  moreover,  from  the  manuscript  charts 
that  were  in  the  library  of  the  Nautilus — charts  evidently 
due  to  Captain  Nemo's  hand,  and  made  after  his  personal 
observations.  For  two  days  the  desert  and  deep  waters 
were  visited  by  means  of  the  inclined  planes.  The  Nau- 
tilus was  furnished  with  long  diagonal  broadsides  which 
carried  it  to  all  elevations.  But  on  the  11th  of  April,  it 
rose  suddenly  and  land  appeared  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Amazon  River,  a  vast  estuary,  the  embouchure  of  which 
is  so  considerable  that  it  freshens  the  sea-water  for  the 
distance  of  several  leagues. 

The  equator  was  crossed.  Twenty  miles  to  the  west 
were  the  Guianas,  a  French  territory,  on  which  we  could 
have  found  an  easy  refuge;  but  a  stiff  breeze  was  blowing, 
and  the  furious  waves  would  not  have  allowed  a  single 
boat  to  face  them.  Ned  Land  understood  that,  no  doubt, 
for  he  spoke  not  a  word  about  it.  For  my  part,  I  made 
no  allusions  to  his  schemes  of  flight,  for  I  would  not  urge 
him  to  make  an  attempt  that  must  inevitably  fail.  I  made 
the  time  pass  pleasantly  by  interesting  studies.  During 
the  days  of  April  11th  and  12th,  the  Nautilus  did  not 
leave  the  surfade  of  the  sea,  and  the  net  brought  in  a 
marvelous  Imul  of  zoophytes,  fish  and  reptiles.  Some 
zoophytes  had  been  fished  up  by  the  chain  of  the  nets; 
they  were  for  the  most  part  beautiful  phyctallines,  belong- 
ing to  the  actinidian  family,  and  among  other  species  the 
phyctalis  protexta,  peculiar  to  that  part  of  the  ocean, 
with  a  little  cylindrical  trunk,  ornamented  with  vertical 
lines,  speckled  with  red  dots,  crowning  a  marvelous  blos- 
soming of  tentacles.  As  to  the  mollusks,  they  consisted 
of  some  I  had  already  observed — turritellas,  olive  por- 
phyras,  with  regular  lines  intercrossed,  with  red  spots 
standing  out  plainly  against  the  flesh;  odd  peteroceras, 
like    petrified    scorpions;  translucid   hyaleas,  argonauts, 


2u6  20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS. 

cuttle-fish  (excellent  eating),  and  certain  species  of  cala- 
mars  that  naturalists  of  antiquity  have  classed  amongst 
the  flying-fish,  and  that  serve  principally  for  bait  for  cod- 
fishing.  I  hud  not  an  opportunity  of  studying  several 
species  of  fish  on  these  shores.  Amongst  the  cartilagi- 
nous ones,  petromyzoiis-pricka,  a  sort  of  eel,  fifteen  inches 
long,  with  a  greenish  head,  violet  fins,  gray-blue  back, 
brown  belly,  silvered  and  sown  with  bright  spots,  the 
pupil  of  the  eye  encircled  with  gold — a  curious  animal, 
that  the  current  of  the  Amazon  had  drawn  to  the  sea,  for 
they  inhabit  fresh  waters — tuberculated  streaks,  with 
pointed  snouts  and  a  long  loose  tail,  armed  with  long 
Jagged  stings;  little  sliarks,  a  yard  long,  gray  and  whitish 
skin,  and  several  rows  of  teeth  bent  back  that  are  gen- 
erally known  by  tlie  name  of  pantouffles;  vespertilios,  a 
kind  of  isosceles  triangle,  half  a  yard  long,  to  which  pec- 
terals  are  attached  by  flesliy  prolongations  that  make  them 
look  like  bats,  but  that  their  horny  appendage,  situated 
near  the  nostrils,  has  given  them  the  name  of  sea-uni- 
corns; lastly,  some  species  of  balistae,  the  curassavian, 
whose  spots  were  of  a  brilliant  gold  color,  and  the  capris- 
cus  of  clear  violet,  and  with  varying  shades  like  a  pigeon's 
throat. 

I  end  here  this  catalogue,  which  is  somewhat  dry,  per- 
haps, but  very  exact,  with  a  series  of  bony  fish  that  I 
observed  in  passing  belonged  to  the  apteronotes,  and  whose 
snout  is  white  as  snow,  the  body  of  a  beautiful  black, 
marked  with  a  very  long  loose  fleshy  strip;  odontognathes, 
armed  with  spikes;  sardines,  nine  inches  long,  glittering 
with  a  bright  silver  light;  a  species  of  mackerel  provided 
with  two  anal  fins:  centronotes  of  a  blackish  tint,  that 
are  fished  for  with  torches,  long  fish,  two  yards  in  length, 
with  fat  flesh,  white  and  firm,  which,  when  they  are  fresh, 
taste  like  eel,  and  when  dry,  like  smoked  salmon;  labres, 
half  red,  covered  with  scales  only  at  the  bottom  of  the 
dorsal  and  anal  fins;  chrysoptera,  on  which  gold  and  silver 
blend  their  brightness  with  that  of  the  ruby  and  topaz; 
golden-tailed  spares,  the  flesh  of  which  is  extremely  deli- 
cate, and  whose  phosphorescent  properties  betray  them  in 
the  midst  of  the  waters;  orange- colored  spares,  with  a 
long  tongue;  maigres,  with  gold  caudal  fins,  dark  thorn- 
tails,  anableps  of  Surinam,  etc. 

Notwithstanding  this  "  etcetera/'  I  must  not  omit  to 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNL>Ell    THE    SEAS.  257 

mention  fish  tliat  Conseil  will  long  remember,  and  with 
good  reason.  One  of  our  nets  had  hauled  up  a  sort  of 
very  flat  rayfish,  which,  with  the  tail  cut  off,  formed  a 
perfect  disk,  and  weighed  twenty  ounces.  It  was  white 
underneath,  red  above,  with  large  round  spots  of  dark 
blue  encircled  with  black,  very  glossy  skin,  terminating  in 
a  bilobed  fin.  Laid  out  on  the  platform,  it  struggled, 
tried  to  turn  itself  by  convulsive  movements,  and  made  so 
many  efforts  that  one  last  turn  had  nearly  sent  it  into  the 
sea.  But  Conseil,  not  wishing  to  let  the  fish  go,  rushed 
to  it,  and,  before  I  could  prevent  him,  had  seized  it  with 
both  hands.  In  a  moment  he  was  overthrown,  his  legs  in 
the  air,  and  half  his  body  paralyzed,  crying: 

"  0  master,  master!  come  to  me!" 

It  was  the  first  time  the  poor  boy  had  not  spoken  to  me 
in  the  third  person.  The  Canadian  and  I  took  him  up, 
and  ru'bbed  his  contracted  arms  till  he  became  sensible. 
The  unfortunate  Conseil  had  attacked  a  cramp-fish  of  the 
most  dangerous  kind — the  cumana.  This  odd  animal,  in 
a  medium  conductor  like  water,  strikes  fish  at  several  yards, 
distance,  so  great  is  the  power  of  its  electric  organ,  the  two 
principal  surfaces  of  which  do  not  measure  less  than  twenty- 
seven  square  feet.  The  next  day,  April  12,  the  Nautilus 
approached  the  Dutch  coast,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Maroni. 
There  several  groups  of  sea-cows  herded  together;  they 
were  manatees,  that,  like  the  dugong  and  the  stellera,  be- 
long to  the  sirenian  order.  These  beautiful  animals,  peace- 
able and  inoffensive,  from  eighteen  to  twenty-one  feet  in 
length,  weigh  at  least  sixteen  hundred  weight.  I  told  Ned 
Land  and  Conseil  that  provident  nature  had  assigned  an 
important  role  to  these  mammalia.  Indeed,  they,  like  the 
seals,  are  designed  to  giaze  on  the  submarine  prairies,  and 
thus  destroy  the  accumulation  of  weed  that  obstructs  the 
tropical  rivers. 

"And  do  you  know,"  I  added,  "  what  has  been  the  re- 
sult since  men  have  almost  entirely  annihilated  this  useful 
race?  That  the  putrefied  weeds  have  poisoned  the  air,  and 
the  poisoned  air  causes  the  yollow  fever,  that  desolates 
these  beautiful  countries.  Enormous  vegetations  are  ntul- 
ti plied  under  the  torrid  seas,  and  tlie  evil  is  irresistibly 
developed  from  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  to  Florida. 
If  we  are  to  believe  Toussenel,  this  plague  is  nothing  to 
what  it  would  be  if  the  seas  were  cleared  of  whales  and 


258  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

seals.  Then,  infested  with  poulps,  mednsas,  and  cuttle- 
fish, they  would  become  immense  centers  of  infection, 
since  their  waves  would  not  possess  *  these  vast  stomachs 
that  God  had  charged  to  infesc  the  surface  of  the  seas.'" 

However,  without,  disputing  these  theories,  the  crew 
of  the  Nautilus  took  possession  of  half  a  dozen  manatees. 
They  provisioned  the  larders  with  excellent  flesh  superior 
to  beef  and  veal.  This  sport  was  not  interesting.  'I'he 
manatees  allowed  themselves  to  be  hit  without  defending 
themselves.  Several  thousand  pounds  of  meat  were  stored 
up  on  board  to  be  dried.  On  this  day  a  successful  iuiul 
of  fish  increased  the  stores  of  the  Nautilus,  so  full  of 
game  were  these  seas.  They  were  echeneides  belonging 
to  the  third  family  of  the  malacopterygiens:  their  flattened 
disks  were  composed  of  transverse  movable  cartilaginous 
plates,  by  which  the  animal  was  enabled  to  create  a 
vacuum,  and  so  to  adhere  to  any  object  like  a  cupping- 
glass.  The  remoria  that  I  had  observed  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean belongs  to  this  species.  But  the  one  of  which 
we  are  speaking  was  the  echeneis  ostecchera,  peculiar  to 
this  sea. 

The  fishing  over,  the  Nautilus  neared  the  coast.  About 
here  a  number  of  sea-turtles  were  sleeping  on  the  surface 
of  the  water.  It  would  have  been  difficult  to  capture 
these  precious  reptiles,  for  the  least  noise  awakens  them, 
and  their  solid  skull  is  proof  against  the  harpoon.  But 
the  echeneis  effects  their  capture  with  extraordinary  j^recis- 
ion  and  certainty.  This  animal,  is  indeed,  a  living  fish- 
hook, which  would  make  the  fortune  of  an  experienced 
fisherman.  The  crew  of  the  Nautilus  tied  a  ring  to  the 
tail  of  these  fish,  so  large  as  not  to  encumber  their  move- 
ments, and  to  this  ring  a  long  cord,  lashed  to  the  ship's 
side  by  the  other  end.  The  echeneides,  thrown  into  the 
sea,  directly  began  their  game,  and  fixed  themselves  to  the 
breastplate  of  the  turtles.  Their  tenacity  was  such  that 
they  wore  torn  rather  than  let  go  their  hold.  The  men 
hauled  them  on  board,  and  with  them  the  turtles  to  which 
they  adhered.  They  also  took  several  cacouunnes  a  yard 
long  which  weighed  400  pounds.  Their  carapace  covered 
with  large  horny  plates,  thin,  transparent,  brown,  with 
white,  and  yellow  spots,  fetch  a  good  price  in  the  market. 
Besides,  they  were  excellent  in  a  edible  point  of  view,  as 
well  as  the  fresh  turtles,  which  have  an  exquisite  flavor, ' 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  259 

The  day's  fishing  brought  to  a  close  our  stay  on  the  shores 
of  the  Amazon,  and  by  nightfall  the  Nautilus  had  regained 
the  high  seas. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   POULPS. 

Fob  several  days  the  Nautilus  kept  off  from  the  Ameri- 
can coast.  Evidently  it  did  not  wish  to  risk  the  tides  of 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  or  of  the  sea  of  the  Antilles.  April 
16th  we  sighted  Martinique  and  Guadeloupe  from  a  dis- 
tance of  about  thirty  miles.  I  saw  their  tall  peaks  for  an 
instant.  The  Canadian,  who  counted  on  carrying  out  his 
projects  in  the  Gulf,  by  either  landing,  or  hailing  one  of 
the  numerous  boats  that  coast  from  one  island  to  another, 
was  quite  disheartened.  Flight  would  have  been  quite 
practicable  if  Ned  Land  had  been  able  to  take  possession 
of  the  boat  without  the  captain's  knowledge.  But  in  the 
open  sea  it  could  not  be  thought  of.  The  Canadian,  Con- 
seil  and  I  had  a  long  conversation  on  this  subject.  For 
six  months  we  had  been  prisoners  on  boai'd  the  Nautilus. 
We  had  traveled  17,000  leagues,  and,  as  Ned  Land  said, 
there  was  no  reason  why  it  should  not  come  to  an  end. 
We  could  hope  nothing  from  the  captain  of  the  Nautilus, 
but  only  from  ourselves.  Besides,  for  some  time  past  he 
had  become  graver,  more  retired,  less  sociable.  He  seemed 
to  shun  me.  I  met  him  rarely.  Formerly,  he  was  pleased 
to  explain  the  submarine  marvels  to  me,  now,  he  left  me 
to  my  studies,  and  came  no  more  to  the  saloon.  What 
change  had  come  over  him?  For  what  cause?  For  my 
part,  I  did  not  wish  to  bury  with  me  my  curious  and  no'vel 
studies.  I  had  now  the  power  to  write  the  true  book  of 
the  sea;  and  this  book,  sooner  or  later,  I  wished  to  see 
daylight.  Then  again,  in  the  water  by  the  Antilles,  ten 
yards  below  the  surface  of  the  waters,  by  the  open  panels, 
what  interesting  products  I  had  to  enter  on  my  daily 
notes!  There  were,  among  other  zoophytes,  those  known 
under  the  name  of  physalis  pelagica,  a  sort  of  large  ob- 
long bladder  with  mother-of-pearl  rays,  holding  out  their 
membrances  to  the  wind,  and  letting  their  blue  tenta- 
cles float  like  threads  of  silk:  charming  medusae  to  the 


2G0  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDEU    THE    SEAS. 

eye,  real  nettles  to  the  touch,  that  distill  a  corrosive  fluid. 
There  were  also  annelides,  a  yard  and  a  half  long,  fur- 
nished with  a  pink  horn,  and  with  1,700  locomotive 
organs,  that  wind  through  the  waters,  and  throw  out 
in  passing  all  the  light  of  the  solar  spectrum.  There 
were,  in  the  fisli  category,  some  Malabar  rays,  enormous 
grisly  things,  ten  feet  long,  weighing  600  pounds,  the 
pectoral  fiu  triangular  in  the  midst  of  a  slightly  humped 
back,  the  eyes  fixed  in  the  extremities  of  the  face,  beyond 
the  head,  and  which  floated  like  weft,  and  looked  some- 
times like  an  opaque  shutter  on  our  glass  window.  There 
were  American  balistte,  wliich  nature  has  only  dressed  in 
black  and  white;  gobies,  with  yellow  fins  and  prominent 
jaws;  mackerel  sixteen  feet  long,  with  short  pointed  teeth, 
covered  with^small  scales,  belonging  to  the  albicore  species. 
Then,  in  swarms,  appeared  gray  mullet,  covered  with 
stripes  of  gold  from  the  head  to  the  tail,  beating  their 
resplendent  fins,  like  masterpieces  of  jewelry,  consecrated 
formerly  'to  Diana,  particularly  sought  after  by  rich 
Romans,  and  of  which  the  proverb  says,  *•'  Whoever  takes 
them  does  not  eat  them."  Lastly,  pomacanthe  dorees, 
ornamented  with  emerald  bands,  dressed  in  velvet  and 
silk,  passed  before  our  eyes  like  Veronese  lords  ;  spurred 
spari  passed  with  their  pectoral  fins;  clupanodons.  fifteen 
inches  long,  enveloped  iu  their  phosphorescent  light; 
mullet  beat  the  sea  with  their  large  jagged  tail;  red  ven- 
daces  seemed  to  mow  the  waves  with  their  showy  pectoral 
fins;  and  silvery  selenes,  worthy  of  their  name,  rose  on 
the  horizon  of  the  waters  like  so  many  moons  with  whitish 
rays.  April  20th  we  had  risen  to  a  mean  height  of  1,500 
yards.  The  land  nearest  us  then  was  the  archipelago  of 
the  Bahamas.  There  rose  high  submarine  cliffs  covered 
with  large  weeds,  giant  laminariae  and  fuci,  a  perfect 
espalier  of  hydrophytes  worthy  of  a  Titan  world.  It  was 
about  eleven  o'clock  when  Ned  Land  drew  my  attention 
to  a  formidable  pricking,  like  the  sting  of  an  ant,  which 
was  produced  by  means  of  large  seaweeds. 

"  Well,"  I  said,  "  these  are  proper  caverns  for  poulps. 
and  I  should  not  be  astonished  to  see  some  of  these 
monsters." 

"What!"  said  Conseil;  "cuttle-fish,  real  cuttle-ffsh, 
of  the  cephalopod  class." 

"  No,"  i  said;  '* poulps  of  huge  dimensions," 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  361 

*'I  will  never  believe  that  such  animals  exist,"  said 
Ned. 

"  Well,"  said  Conseil,  with  the  most  serious  air  in  the 
world,  "  I  remember  perfectly  to  have  seen  a  large  vessel 
drawn  under  the  waves  by  a  cephalopod's  arm." 

"  You  saw  that?"  said  the  Canadian. 

'*  res,  Ned." 

**  With  your  own  eyes?" 

"  With  my  own  eyes." 

**  Where,  pray,  might  that  be?" 

"  At  St.  Male,"  answered  Conseil. 

"In  the  port?"  said  Ned,  ironically. 

*^No;  in  a  church,"  replied  Conseil. 

"In  a  church!"  cried  the  Canadian. 

"  Yes;  friend  Ned.  In  a  picture  representing  the  poulp 
in  question." 

'*  Good!"  said  Ned  Land,  bursting  out  laughing. 

"  He  is  quite  right,"  I  said.  "I  have  heard  of  this 
picture;  but  the  subject  represented  is  taken  from  a 
legend,  and  you  know  what  to  think  of  legends  in  the 
matter  of  naUiral  history.  Besides,  when  it  is  a  question 
of  monsters,  the  imagination  is  apt  to  run  wild.  Not  only 
is  it  supposed  that  these  poulps  can  draw  down  vessels,  but 
a  certain  Glaus  Magnus  speaks  of  a  cephalopod  a  mile  long, 
that  is  more  like  an  island,  than  an  animal.  It  is  also  said 
that  the  Bishop  of  Nidros  was  building  an  altar  on  an  im- 
mense rock.  Mass  finished,  the  rock  began  to  walk,  and 
returned  to  the  sea.  The  rock  was  a  poulp.  Another 
bishop,  Pontoppidan,  speaks  also  of  a  poulp  on  which  a 
regiment  of  cavalry  could  maneuver.  Lastly,  the  ancient 
naturalists  speak  of  monsters  whose  mouths  where  like 
gulfs,  and  which  were  too  large  to  pass  through  the  Straits 
of  Gibraltar." 

"  But  how  much  is  true  of  these  stories?"  asked  Conseil. 

"Nothing,  my  friends;  at  least  of  that  which  passes  the 
limit  of  truth  to  get  to  fable  or  legend.  Nevertheless, 
there  must  be  some  ground  for  the  imagination  of  the 
story-tellers.  One  cannot  deny  that  poulps  and  cuttle-fish 
exist  of  a  large  species,  inferior,  however,  to  the  cetaceans. 
Aristotle  has  stated  the  dimensions  of  a  cuttle-fish  as  five 
cubits,  or  nine  feet  two  inches.  Our  fishermen  frequently 
see  some  that  are  more  than  four  feet  long.  Some  skeletons 


2C^  20.000    LEAGUia    UKDER    THE    SEAS. 

of  poulps  are  preserved  in  the  museums  of  Trieste  and 
Montpelier,  that  measure  two  yards  in  length.  Besides, 
according  to  the  calculations  of  some  naturalists,  one  of 
these  animals,  only  six  feet  long,  would  have  tentacles 
twenty-seven  feet  long.  That  would  suffice  to  make  a 
formidable  monster." 

"  Do  they  fish  for  them  in  these  days?"  asked  Ned. 

**  If  they  do  not  fish  for  them,  sailors  see  tliem,  at  least. 
One  of  my  friends.  Captain  Paul  Bos,  of  Havre,  lias  often 
affirmed  that  he  met  one  of  these  monsteis,  of  colossal 
dimensions,  in  the  Indian  seas.  But  the  most  astonishing 
fact,  and  which  does  not  permit  of  the  denial  of  the  exist- 
ence of  these  gigantic  animals,  happened  some  years  ago, 
in  1861." 

"  What  is  the  fact?"  asked  Ned  Land. 

''This  is  it.  In  1861,  to  the  northeast  of  Teneriffe, 
very  nearly  in  the  same  latitude  we  are  in  now,  the  crew  of 
the  dispatch-boat  Alector  perceived  a  monstrous  cuttle-fish 
swimming  in  the  waters.  Captain  Bouguer  went  near  to 
the  animal;  and  attacked  it  with  harpoons  and  guns,  with- 
out much  success,  for  balls  and  harpoons  glided  over  the 
soft  flesh.  After  several  fruitless  attempts,  the  crew  tried 
to  pass  a  slip-knot  round  the  body  of  the  mollusc.  The 
noose  slipped  as  far  as  the  caudal  fins,  and  there  stopped. 
They  tried  then  to  haul  it  on  board,  but  its  weight  was  so 
considerable  that  the  tightness  of  the  cord  separated  the 
tail  from  the  body,  and,  deprived  of  this  ornament,  he 
disappeared  under  the  water." 

''Indeed!     Is  that  a  fact?" 

"An  indisputable  fact,  my  good  Ned.  They  proposed 
to  name  this  poulp  '  Bouguer's  cuttle-fish.'  " 

"  What  length  was  it?"  asked  the  Canadian. 

"Did  it  not  measure  about  six  yards?"  said  Conseil, 
who,  posted  at  the  window,  was  examining  again  the 
irregular  windings  of  the  cliff. 

"  Precisely,"  I  replied. 

"Its  head,"  rejoined  Conseil,  "was  it  not  crowned  with 
eight  tentacles,  that  beat  the  water  like  a  nest  of  serpents?" 

"  Precisely." 

"  Had  not  its  eyes,  placed  at  the  back  of  its  head,  con* 
giderable  development?" 

"Yes,  Conieil." 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  263 

*'  And  was  not  its  mouth  like  a  parrot's  beak?" 

"  Exactly,  Conseil?" 

"Very  well!  no  offense  to  master,"  he  replied,  quietly; 
**  if  this  is  not  Bouguer's  cuttle-fish,  it  is,  at  least,  one  of 
its  brothers." 

I  looked  at  Conseil.     Ned  Land  hurried  to  the  window. 

"  What  a  horrible  beast!"  he  cried. 

I  looked  in  my  turn,  and  could  not  repress  a  gesture  of 
disgust.  Before  my  eyes  was  a  horrible  monster,  worthy 
to  figure  in  the  legends  of  the  marvelous.  It  was  an  im- 
mense cuttle-ffsh,  being  eight  yards  long.  It  swam  cross- 
ways  in  the  direction  of  the  Nautilus  with  great  speed, 
watching  us  with  its  enormous  staring  green  eyes.  Its 
eight  arms,  or  rather  feet,  fixed  to  its  head,  that  have 
given  the  name  of  cephalopod  to  these  animals  were  twice 
as  long  as  its  body,  and  were  twisted  like  the  Furies'  hair. 
One  could  see  250  air-holes  on  th-e  inner  side  of  the  ten- 
tacles. The  monster's  mouth,  a  horned  beak  like  a  par- 
rot's opened  and  shut  vertically.  Its  tongue  a  horned 
substance,  furnished  with  several  rows  of  pointed  teeth, 
came  out  quivering  from  this  veritable  pair  of  shears. 
AVhat  a  freak  of  nature,  a  bird's  beak  on  a  mollusc!  Its 
spindle-like  body  formed  a  flesh  mass  that  might  weigh 
4,000  or  5,000  lbs.;  the  varying  color  changing  with  great 
rapidity,  according  to  the  irritation  of  the  animal,  passed 
successively  from  livid  gray  to  a  reddish  brown.  What 
irritated  this  mollusc?  No  doubt  the  presence  of  the 
Nautilus,  more  formidable  than  itself,  and  on  which  its 
suckers  or  its  jaws  had  no  hold.  Yet,  what  monsters  these 
poulps  are!  what  vitality  the  Creator  has  given  them! 
what  vigor  in  their  movements!  and  they  possess  three 
hearts!  Chance  had  brought  us  in  presence  of  this  cuttle- 
fish, and  I  did  not  wish  to  lose  the  opportunity  of  care- 
fully studying  this  specimen  of  cephalopods.  I  overcame 
the  horror  that  inspired  me;  and,  taking  a  pencil,  began 
to  draw  it. 

"Perhaps  this  is  the  same  which  the  Alector  saw," 
said  Conseil. 

"No,"  replied  the  Canadian;  "for  this  is  whole,  and 
f;he  other  had  lost  its  tail." 

"That  is  no  reason,"  I  replied.  "The  arms  and  tails 
of  these  animals  are  reformed  bj  redintegration;  and,  in 


264  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

seven  years,  the  tail  of  Bonguer's  cuttle-fish  has  no  doubt 
had  timo  to  grow." 

By  I  Ills  time  other  poulps  apjieared  at  tlie  port  light. 
IcouuLed  seven.  They  formed  a  procession  after  the  Nau- 
tilus, and'^I  heard  their  beaks  gnashing  against  the  iron 
hull.  I  continued  my  work.  These  monsters  kept  in  the 
water  with  such  precision,  that  they  seemed  immovable. 
Suddenly  the  Nautilus  stopped.  A  shock  made  it  tremble 
in  every  plate. 

"  Have  we  struck  anything?"  I  asked. 

"  In  any  case,"  replied  the  Canadian,  '*  we  shall  be  free, 
for  we  are  floating." 

The  Nautilus  was  floating,  no  doubt,  but  it  did  not 
move.  A  minute  passed.  Captain  Nemo,  followed  by  his 
lieutenant,  entered  the  drawing-room.  I  had  not  seen 
him  for  some  time.  He  seemed  dull.  Without  noticing 
or  speaking  to  us,  he  went  to  the  panel,  looked  at  the 
poulps,  and  said  something  to  his  lieutenant.  The  latter 
went  out.  Soon  the  panels  were  shut.  The  ceiling  was 
lighted.     I  went  toward  the  captain. 

''A  curious  collection  of  poulps?"  I  said. 

*' Yes,  indeed,  Mr.  Naturalist,"  he  replied;  "and  we 
are  going  to  fight  them,  man  to  beast." 

I  looked  at  him.     I  thought  I  had  not  heard  aright. 

"Man  to  beast?"  I  repeated. 

"Yes,  sir.  The  screw  is  stopped.  I  think  that  the 
horny  jaw  of  one  of  the  cuttle-fish  is  entangled  in  the 
blades.     That  is  what  prevents  our  moving." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"  Rise  to  the  surface,  and  slaughter  this  vermin." 

"A  difficult  enterprise." 

"Yes,  indeed.  The  electric  bullets  are  powerless 
against  tiie  soft  flesh,  where  they  do  not  find  resistance 
enough  to  go  off.  But  we  shall  attack  them  with  the 
hatchet." 

"And  the  harpoon,  sir,"  said  the  Canadian,  **  if  you  do 
not  refuse  my  help." 

"  I  will  accept  it.  Master  Land." 

"  We  will  follow  you,"  I  said;  and  following  Captain 
Nemo,  we  went  toward  the  central  staircase. 

There,  about  ten  men  with  boarding  hatchets  wer« 
ready  for  the  attack.     Conseil  and  I  took  two  hatchets; 


30,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  265 

NeJ  Land  seized  a  harpoon.  TheXautilus  had  then  risen 
to  the  surface.  One  of  the  sailors,  posted  on  the  top  lad- 
der-step, unscrewed  the  bolts  of  the  j)anels.  But  hardly 
were  the  screws  loosed,  when  the  panel  rose  with  great 
violence,  evidently  drawn  by  the  suckers  of  apoulp's  arm. 
Immediately  one  of  these  arms  slid  like  a  serpent  down 
the  opening,  and  twenty  others  were  above.  With  one 
\]ow  of  the  ax.  Captain  Nemo  cut  this  formidable  tentacle 
that  slid  wriggling  down  the  ladder.  Just  as  we  were 
pressing  one  on  the  other  to  reach  the  platform,  two  other 
arms,  lashing  the  air,  came  down  on  the  seaman  placed 
before  Captain  Nemo,  and  lifted  him  up  with  irresistible 
power.  Captain  Nemo  uttered  a  cry,  and  rushed  out.  We 
hurried  after  him. 

'  What  a  scene!  The  unhappy  man,  seized  by  the  tent- 
acle, and  fixed  to  the  suckers,  was  balanced  in  the  air  at 
the  caprice  of  this  enormous  trunk.  He  rattled  in  his 
throat,  he  cried,  "Help!  help!"  These  words,  spoken  in 
French,  startled  me!  I  had  a  fellow-countryman  on  board, 
perhaps  several!  That  heart  rending  cry!  I  shall  hear  it 
all  my  life.  The  unfortunate  man  was  lost.  Who  could 
rescue  him  from  that  powerful  pressure?  However,  Cap- 
tain Nemo,  had  rushed  to  the  poulp,  aqd  with  one  blow 
of  the  ax  had  cut  through  one  arm.  His  lieutenant 
struggled  furiously  against  other  monsters  that  crept  on 
the  flanks  of  the  Nautilus.  The  crew  fought  with  their 
axes.  The  Canadian,  Conseil,  and  I  buried  our  weapons 
in  the  fleshy  masses;  a  strong  smell  of  musk  penetrated 
the  atmosphere.     It  was  horrible! 

For  one  instant  I  thought  the  unhappy  man  entangled 
with  the  poulp  would  be  torn  from  its  powerful  suction. 
Seven  of  the  eight  arms  had  been  cutoff.  One  only  wrig- 
gled in  the  air,  brandishing  the  victim  like  a  feather.  But 
just  as  Captain  Nemo  and  his  lieutenant  threw  themselves 
on  it,  the  animal  ejected  a  stream  of  black  liquid.  We 
were  blinded  with  it.  When  the  cloud  dispersed,  the 
cuttle-fish  had  disappeared,  and  my  unfortunate  country- 
man with  it.  Ten  or  twelve  poulps  now  invaded  the 
platform  and  sides  of  the  Nautilus.  We  rolled  pell-mell 
into  the  midst  of  this  nest  of  serpents,  that  wriggled  on 
the  platform  in  the  waves  of  blood  and  ink.  It  seemed  as 
though  these  slimy  tentacles  sprang  up  like  the  hydra's 
heads.     Ned  Land's  harpoon,  at  each  stroke,  was  plunged 


2G6  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEA-S. 

into  the  staring  eyes  of  the  cuttle-fish.  But  my  bold 
companion  was  suddenly  overturned  by  the  tentacles  of 
a  monster  he  had  not  been  able  to  avoid. 

Ah!  how  my  heart  beat  with  emotion  and  horror!  The 
formidable  beak  of  a  cuttle-fish  was  open  over  Ned  Land, 
TJie  unhappy  man  would  be  cut  in  two.  I  rushed  to  his 
succor.  But  Captain  Nemo  was  before  me;  his  ax  dis- 
appeared between  the  two  enormous  jaws,  and,  miracu- 
lously saved,  the  Canadian,  rising,  plunged  his  harpoon 
deep  into  the  triple  heart  of  the  poulp. 

"I  owed  myself  this  revenge!"  said  the  captain  to  the 
Canadian. 

Ned  bowed  without  replying.  The  combat  had  lasted 
a  quarter  of  an  hour.  The  monsters,  vanquished  and 
mutilated,  left  us  at  last,  and  disappeared  under  the 
waves.  Captain  Nemo,  covered  with  blood,  nearly  ex- 
hausted, gazed  upon  the  sea  that  had  swallowed  up  one 
of  his  companions,  and  great  tears  gathered  in  his  eyes. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE    GULF    STEEAM. 

This  terrible  scene  of  the  20th  of  April  none  of  us  can 
ever  forget.  I  have  written  it  nnder  the  influence  of 
violent  emotion.  Since  then  I  have  revised  the  recital;  I 
have  read  it  to  Conseil  and  to  the  Canadian.  They  found 
it  exact  as  to  facts,  but  insuflBcient  as  to  effect.  To  paint 
such  pictures,  one  must  have  the  pen  of  the  most  illus- 
trious of  our  poets,  the  author  of  ''The  Toilers  of  the 
Deep." 

I  have  said  that  Captain  Nemo  wept  while  watching 
the  waves;  his  grief  was  great.  It  was  the  second  com- 
panion he  had  lost  since  our  arrival  on  board,  and  what  a 
death!  That  friend,  crushed,  stifled,  bruised  by  the 
dreadful  arms  of  a  poulp,  pounded  by  his  iron  jaws,  would 
not  rest  with  his  comrades  in  the  peaceful  coral  cemetery! 
In  the  midst  of  this  struggle,  it  was  the  despairing  cry 
uttered  by  the  unfortunate  man  that  had  torn  my  heart. 
The  poor  Frenchman,  forgetting  his  conventional  lan- 
guage, had  taken  to  liis  own  mother  tongue,  to  utter  9 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  2G7 

last  appeal!  Amongst  the  crew  of  the  Nautilus,  nssociated 
witli  the  body  and  soul  of  the  captain,  recoiling  like  him 
from  all  contact  with  men,  I  had  a  fellow-countryman. 
Did  he  alone  represent  France  in  this  mysterious  asso- 
ciation, evidently  composed  of  individuals  of  divers 
nationalities?  It  was  one  of  these  insoluble  problems  that 
ros*e  up  unceasingly  before  my  mind! 

Captain  Nemo  entered  his  room,  and  I  saw  him  no  more 
for  some  time.  But  that  he  was  sad  and  irresolute  I  could 
see  by  the  vessel,  of  which  he  was  the  soul,  and  which  re- 
ceived all  his  impressions.  The  Nautilus  did  not  keep  on 
in  its  settled,  course;  it  floated  about  like  a  corpse  at  the 
will  of  the  waves.  It  went  at  random.  He  could  not  tear 
himself  away  from  the  scene  of  the  last  struggle,  from  this 
sea  that  had  devoured  one  of  his  men.  Ten  days  passed 
thus.  It  was  not  till  the  1st  of  May  that  the  Nautilus  re- 
sumed its  northerly  course,  after  having  sighted  the  Ba- 
hamas at  the  mouth  of  the  Bahama  Canal.  We  were  then 
following  the  current  from  the  largest  river  to  the  sea,  that 
has  its  banks,  its  fish,  and  its  proper  temperatures.  I  mean 
the  Gulf  Stream.  It  is  really  a  river,  that  flows  freely  to 
tiie  middle  of  the  Atlantic,  and  whose  watejs  do  not  mix 
with  the  ocean  waters.  It  is  a  salt  river,  salter  than  the 
surrounding  sea.  Its  mean  depth  is  1,500  fathoms,  its 
mean  breadth  is  ten  miles.  In  certain  places  the  current 
flows  with  the  speed  of  two  miles  and  a  half  an  hour.  The 
body  of  its  waters  is  more  considerable  than  that  of  all  the 
rivers  on  the  globe.  It  was  on  this  ocean  river  that  the 
Nautilus  sailed. 

This  current  carries  with  it  all  kinds  of  living  things. 
Argonauts,  so  common  in  the  Mediterranean,  were  there  in 
quantities.  Of  the  grisly  sort,  the  most  remarkable  were 
tlie  turbot,  whose  slender  tails  form  nearly  the  third  part 
of  the  body,  and  that  looked  like  large  lozenges  twenty- 
five  feet  long;  also,  small  sharks  a  yard  long,  with  large 
heads,  short  rounded  muzzles,  pointed  teeth  in  several 
rows,  and  whose  bodies  seemed  covered  with  scales.  Among 
the  bony  fish  I  noticed  some  gray  gobies,  peculiar  to  these 
waters;  black  giltheads,  whose  iris  shone  like  fire;  sirens 
a  yard  long,  with  large  snouts  thickly  set  with  little  teeth, 
that  uttered  little  cries;  blue  coryphsenes,  in  gold  and  sil- 
ver; parrots  like  the  rainbows  of  the  ocean,  that  could  rival 
iii  coloy  the  most  beautiful  tropical  birds;  blennies  with 


2G8  20,000    LKAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

triangular  lieads;  bluish  rhombs  destitute  of  scales;  ba- 
trachoides  covered  with  yellow  triinsvcrsal  bands  like  a 
Greek  cross;  heapsof  little  gobies  spotted  with  yellow;  dip- 
terodons  with  silvery  heads  and  yellow  tails;  several  speci- 
mens of  salmon,  mugilomores  slender  in  shape,  shining 
with  a  soft  light  that  Laeepede  concentrated  to  the  service 
of  his  wife;  and  lastly,  a  beautiful  fish,  the  American- 
knight,  that,  decorated  with  all  the  orders  and  ribbons, 
frequent  the  shores  of  this  great  nation,  that  esteems  orders 
and  ribbons  so  little. 

I  must  add  that  during  the  night  the  phosphorescent 
waters  of  the  Gulf  Stream  rivaled  the  electric  power  of 
our  watch-light,  especially  in  the  stormy  weather  that 
threatened  us  so  frequently.  May  8th  we  were  still  cross- 
ing Cape  Hatteras,  at  the  height  of  the  North  Caroline. 
The  width  of  the  Gulf  Stream  there  is  seventy-five  miles, 
and  its  depth  210  yards.  The  Nautilus  still  went  at  ran- 
dom; all  supervision  seemed  abandoned.  I  thought  that 
under  these  circumstances,  escape  would  be  possible.  In- 
deed, the  inhabited  shores  offered  anywhere  an  easy  refuge. 
The  sea  was  incessantly  plowed  by  the  steamers  that  ply 
between  New  York  or  Boston  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
and  overrun  day  and  night  by  the  little  schooners  coasting 
about  the  several  parts  of  the  American  coast.  We  could 
hope  to  be  picked  up.  It  was  a  favorable  opportunity, 
notwithstanding  the  thirty  miles  that  separated  the  Nau- 
tilus from  the  coast  of  the  Union.  One  unfortunate  cir- 
cumstance thwarted  the  Canadian's  plans.  The  weather 
was  very  bad.  We  were  nearing  those  shores  where 
tempests  are  so  frequent — that  country  of  waterspouts 
and  cyclones  actually  engendered  by  the  current  of  the 
Gulf  Stream.  To  tempt  the  sea  in  a  frail  boat  was  certain 
destruction.  Ned  Land  owned  this  himself.  He  fretted, 
seized  with  nostalgia  that  flight  only  could  cure. 

''Master,"  he  said  that  day  to  me,  "  this  must  come  to 
an  end.  I  must  make  a  clean  breast  of  it.  This  Nemo 
is  leaving  land  and  going  up  to  the  north.  But  I  declare 
to  you  I  have  had  enough  of  the  South  Pole,  and  I  will 
not  folloAv  him  to  the  North." 

"  What  is  to  be  done,  Ned,  since  flight  is  impracticable 
just  now?" 

*' We  must  speak  to  the  captain,"  said  he;  *'you  said 
Dothing  when  jou  were  in  your  native  seas.     I  will  speak. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  269 

now  we  are  in  mine.  When  I  think  that  before  long  the 
Nautilus  will  be  by  Nova  Scotia,  and  that  there  near 
Newfoundland  is  a  large  bay,  and  into  that  bay  the  St. 
Lawrence  empties  itself,  and  that  the  St.  Lawrence  is  my 
river,  the  river  by  Quebec,  my  native  town — when  I  think 
of  this  I  feel  furious;  it  makes  my  hair  stand  on  end. 
Sir,  I  would  rather  throw  myself  into  the  sea!  I  will  not 
stay  here!     I  am  stifled!" 

The  Canadian  was  evidently  losing  all  patience.  His 
vigorous  nature  could  not  stand  this  prolonged  imprison- 
ment. His  face  altered  daily;  his  temper  became  more 
surly.  I  knew  wliat  he  must  suffer,  for  I  was  seized  with 
nostalgia  myself-  Nearly  seven  months  had  passed  with- 
out our  having  had  any  news  from  land;  Captain  Nemo's 
isolation,  his  altered  spirits,  especially  since  the  fight 
with  the  poulps,  his  taciturnity,  all  made  me  view  things 
in  a  different  light. 

"Well,  sir?"  said  Ned,  seeing  I  did  not  reply. 

'*  Well,  Ned,  do  you  wish  me  to  ask  Captain  Nemo  his 
intentions  concerning  us?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Although  he  has  ali'eady  made  them  known?" 

"Yes;  I  wish  it  settled  finally.  Speak  for  me,  in  my 
name  only,  if  you  like." 

"But  I  so  seldom  meet  him.     He  avoids  me." 

"  That  is  all  the  more  reason  for  you  to  go  to  see  him." 

I  went  to  my  room.  From  thence  I  meant  to  go  to 
Captain  Nemo's.  It  would  not  do  to  let  this  opportunity 
of  meeting  him  slip.  I  knocked  at  the  door.  No  answer. 
I  knocked  again,  then  turned  the  handle.  The  door 
opened,  I  went  it.  The  captain  was  there.  Bending  over 
his  work-table,  he  had  not  heard  me.  Resolved  not  to  go 
without  having  spoken,  I  approached  him.  He  raised  his 
head  quickly,  frowned,  and  said,  roughly,  "  You  here! 
What  do  you  want?" 

"  To  speak  to  you,  captain." 

"  But  I  am  busy,  sir;  I  am  working.  I  leave  you  at 
liberty  to  shut  yourself  up;  can  not  I  be  allowed  the  same?" 

This  reception  was  not  encouraging;  but  I  was  determined 
to  hear  and  answer  everything. 

"  Sir,"  I  said  coolly,  "  I  have  to  speak  to  you  on  a  mat- 
ter that  admits  of  no  delay." 

"What  is Jhat,  sir?"  "he  replied,  ironically.     "Haw 


270  20,000  LEAGUES  ukdeh  the  seas. 

you  discovered  something  that  has  escaped  me,  or  has  the 
sea  delivered  up  any  new  secrets?" 

We  were  at  cross  purposes.  But  before  I  could  reply, 
he  showed  me  an  open  manuscript  on  liis  table,  and  said, 
in  a  more  serious  tone,  "  Here,  M.  Aronnax,  is  a  manu- 
script written  in  several  languages.  It  contains  the  sum 
of  my  studies  of  the  sea;  and,  if  it  please  God,  it  shall 
not  perish  with  me.  This  manuscript,  signed  with  my 
name,  completed  with  the  history  of  my  life,  will  be  sliut 
up  in  a  little  insubmersible  case.  The  last  survivor  of  all 
of  us  on  board  the  Nautilus  will  throw  this  case  into  the 
sea,  and  it  will  go  whither  it  is  borne  by  the  waves.'* 

This  man's  name!  his  history  written  by  himself!  His 
mystery  would  then  be  revealed  some  day. 

*'  Captain,"  I  said,  *'  I  can  but  approve  of  the  idea 
that  makes  you  act  thus.  The  result  of  your  studies  must 
not  be  lost.  But  the  means  you  employ  seem  to  me  to  be 
primitive.  Who  knows  where  the  winds  will  carry  this 
case,  and  in  whose  hands  it  will  fall?  Could  you  not  use 
some  other  means?     Could  not  you,  or  one  of  yours " 

"Never,  sir!"  he  said,  hastily  interrupting  me. 

"But  I  and  my  companions  are  ready  to  keep  this 
manuscript  in  store;  and,  if  you  will  put  us  at  liberty '* 

"At  liberty?"  said  the  captain,  rising. 

**  Yes,  sir;  that  is  the  subject  on  which  I  wished  to 
question  you.  For  seven  months  we  have  been  here  on 
board,  and  I  ask  you  to-day,  in  the  name  of  my  compan- 
ions, and  in  my  own,  if  your  intention  is  to  keep*us  here 
always?" 

"M.  Aronnax,  I  will  answer  you  to-day  as  I  did  seven 
months  ago;  whoever  enters  the  Nautilus  must  never  quit 
it." 

"  You  impose  actual  slavery  on  us!" 

"  Give  it  what  name  you  please." 

"  But  everywhere  the  slave  has  the  right  to  regain  hia 
liberty." 

"  Who  denies  you  this  right?  Have  I  ever  tried  to 
chain  you  with  an  oath?" 

He  looked  at  me  with  his  arms  crossed. 

**Sir,"  I  said,  **to  return  a  second  time  to  this  subject 
will  be  neither  to  your  nor  to  my  taste;  but  as  we  have 
entered  upon  it,  let  us  go  through  with  it.     I  repeat,  it  is 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  271 

not  only  myself  whom  it  concerns.  Study  is  tomea  relief, 
a  diversion,  a  passion  that  could  make  me  forget  every- 
thing. Like  you,  I  am  willing  to  live  obscure  in  the  frail 
hope  of  bequeathing  one  day,  to  future  time,  the  result  of 
my  labors.  But  it  is  otherwise  with  Ned  Land.  Every 
man,  T^f^rthy  of  the  name,  deserves  some  consideration. 
Have  you  thought  that  love  of  liberty,  hatred  of  slavery, 
can  give  rise  to  schemes  of  revenge  in  a  nature  like  the 
Canadian's;  that  he  could  think,  attempt,  and  try " 

I  was  silenced;  Captain  Nemo  rose. 

"  Whatever  Ned  Land  thinks  of,  attempts,  or  tries,  what 
does  it  matter  to  me?  I  did  not  seek  him!  It  is  not  for 
my  pleasure  that  I  keep  him  on  board!  As  for  you,  M. 
Aronnax,  you  are  one  of  th^se  who  can  understand  every- 
thing, even  silence.  I  have  nothing  more  to  say  to  you. 
Let  this  first  time  you  have  come  to  treat  of  this  subject 
be  the  last;  for  a  second  timfe  I  will  not  listen  to  you." 

I  retired.  Our  situation  was  critical.  I  related  my  con- 
versation to  my  two  companions. 

"  We  know  now,"  said  Ned,  "  that  we  can  expect  noth- 
ing from  this  man.  The  Nautilus  is  nearing  Long  Island. 
We  will  escape,  Avhatever  the  weather  may  be." 

But  the  sky  became  more  and  more  threatening.  Symp- 
toms of  a  hurricane  became  manifest.  The  atnlosphere 
was  becoming  white  and  misty.  On  the  horizon  fine 
streaks  of  cirrous  clouds  were  succeeded  by  masses  of 
cumuli.  Other  low  clouds  passed  swiftly  by.  The  swollen 
sea  rose  in  huge  billows.  The  birds  disappeared,  with  the 
exception  of  the  petrels,  those  friends  of  the  storm.  The 
barometer  fell  sensibly,  and  indicated  an  extreme  tension 
of  the  vapors.  The  mixture  of  the  storm-glass  was  de- 
composed under  the  influence  of  the  electricity  that  per- 
vaded the  atmosphere.  The  tempest  burst  on  the  18th  of 
May,  just  as  the  Nautilus  was  floating  off  Long  Island,  some 
miles  from  the  port  of  New  York.  I  can  describe  this  strife 
of  the  elements!  for,  instead  of  fleeing  to  the  depths  of 
the  sea,  Captain  Nemo,  by  an  unaccountable  caprice, 
would  brave  it  at  the  surface.  The  wind  blew  from 
the  southwest  at  first.  Captain  Nemo,  during  the 
squalls,  had  taken  his  place  on  the  platform.  He  had 
made  himself  fast,  to  prevent  being  washed  overboard  by 
the  monstrous  waves.  I  had  hoisted  myself  up,  and  made 
myself  fast   also,  dividing  my  admiration   between  the 


27:i  20,000  leagues   u^hDEi*  the  seas. 

tempest  and  this  extraordinary  man  who  was  coping  with 
it.  The  raging  sea  was  swept  by  huge  cloud-drifts,  which 
were  actually  saturated  with  the  waves.  The  Nautilus, 
sometimes  lying  on  its  side,  sometimes  standing  up  like  a 
mast,  rolled  and  pitched  terribly.  About  five  o'clock  a 
torrent  of  rain  fell,  that  lulled  neither  sea  nor  wind.  The 
hurricane  blew  nearly  forty  leagues  an  hour.  It  is  under 
these  conditions  that  it  overturns  houses,  breaks  iron  gates, 
displaces  twenty-fonr  pounders.  However,  the  Nautilus, 
in  the  midst  of  the  tempest,  confirmed  the  words  of  a 
clover  engineer:  "  There  is  no  well-constructed  hull  that 
cannot  defy  the  sea."  This  was  not  a  resisting  rock;  it 
was  a  steel  spindle  obedient  and  movable,  without  rigging 
or  masts,  that  braved  its  fury  with  impunity.  However, 
I  watched  these  raging  waves  attentively.  They  measured 
fifteen  feet  in  height,  and  150  to  170  yards  long,  and  their 
speed  of  propagation  was  thirty  feet  per  second.  Their 
bulk  and  power  increased  with  the  depth  of  the  water. 
Such  waves  as  these  at  the  Hebrides  have  displaced  a 
mass  weighing  8,400  lbs,  Tiiey  are  they  which,  in  the 
tempest  of  December  23,  1864,  after  destroying  the  town 
of  Yeddo,  in  Japan,  broke  the  same  day  on  the  shores  of 
America.  The  intensity  of  the  tempest  increased  with  the 
night.  The  barometer,  as  in  1860,  at  Eeunion,  during  a 
cyclone,  fell  seven-tenths  at  the  close  of  day.  I  saw  a  large 
vessel  pass  the  horizon,  struggling  painfully.  She  was  try- 
ing to  lay  to  under  half-steam,  to  keep  up  above  the  waves. 
It  was  probably  one  of  the  steamers  of  the  line  from  New 
York  to  Liverpool  or  Havre.  It  soon  disappeared  in  the 
gloom.  At  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening  the  sky  was  on  fire. 
The  atmosphere  was  streaked  with  vivid  lightning.  I 
conld  not  bear  the  brightness  of  it;  while  the  captain, 
looking  at  it,  seemed  to  envy  th^  spirit  of  the  tempest. 
A  terrible  noise  filled  the  air,  a  complex  noise,  made 
up  of  the  howls  of  the  oi'ushed  waves,  the  roaring 
of  the  wind,  and  the  claps  of  thunder.  The  wind  veered 
suddenly  to  all  points  of  the  horizon;  and  the  cyclone, 
rising  in  the  east,  returned  after  passing  by  the  north, 
west  and  south,  in  the  inverse  course  pursued  by  the  cir- 
cular storms  of  the  southern  hemisphere.  Ah,  the  Gulf 
Stream!  It  deserves  its  name  of  the  King  of  Tempests.  It 
is  that  which  causes  those  formidable  cyclones,  by  the 
d'fference  of  temperature  betw  een  its  air  and  its  currents. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  273 

A  shower  of  fire  had  succeeded  the  rain.  The  drops  of 
water  were  changed  to  sharp  spikes.  One  would  "have 
thought  that  Captain  Nemo  was  courting  a  death  worthy 
of  himself,  a  death  by  lightning.  As  the  Nautilus,  pitch- 
ing dreadfully,  raised  its  steel  spur  in  the  air,  it  seemed 
to  act  as  a  conductor,  and  I  saw  long  sparks  burst  from  it. 
Crushed  and  without  strength,  I  crawled  to  the  panel, 
opened  it,  and  descended  to  the  saloon.  The  storm  was 
then  at  its  height.  It  was  impossible  to  stand  upright  in 
the  interior  of  the  Nautilus.  Captain  Nemo  came  down 
about  twelve.  I  heard  the  reservoirs  filling  by  degrees, 
and  the  Nautilus  sank  slowly  beneath  t-he  waves.  Through 
the  open  windows  of  the  saloon  I  saw  large  fish,  terrified, 
passing  like  phantoms  in  the  water.  Some  were  struck 
before  my  eyes.  The  Nautilus  was  still  descending.  I 
thought  that  about  eight  fathoms  deep  we  should  find  a 
calm.  But  no!  the  upper  beds  were  too  violently  agi- 
tated for  that.  We  had  to  seek  repose  at  more  than  twenty- 
five  fathoms  in  the  bowels  of  tke  deep.  But  there,  what 
quiet,  what  silence,  what  peace!  Who  could  have  told  that 
such  a  hurricane  had  been  let  loose  on  the  surface  of  the 
ocean? 


CHAPTEE  XX. 

FROM  LATITUDE  47^^24'  TO   LONGITUDE  17°  28'. 

In  consequence  of  the  storm,  we  had  been  thrown  east- 
ward once  more.  All  hope  of  escape  on  the  shores  of 
New  York  or  St.  Lawrence  had  faded  away;  and  poor 
Ned,  in  despair,  had  isolated  himself  like  Captain  Nemo. 
Conseil  and  I,  however,  never  left  each  other.  I  said  that 
the  Nautilus  had  gone  aside  to  the  east.  I  should  have 
said  (to  be  more  exact),  the  northeast.  For  some  days  it 
wandered,  first  on  the  surface,  and  then  beneath  it,  amid 
those  fogs  so  dreaded  by  sailors.  What  accidents  are  due 
to  these  thick  fogs!  What  shocks  upon  these  reefs  when 
the  wind  drowns  the  breaking  of  the  waves!  What  collis- 
ions between  vessels,  in  spite  of  their  warning  lights, 
whistles,  and  alarm-bells!  And  the  bottoms  of  these  seag 
look  like  a  field  of  battle,  where  still  lie  all  the  conquered 
of  the  ocean;  some  old  and  already  incrusted,  others  fresh 


S74  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

unci  reflecting  from  their  iron  bands  and  copper  plates  the 
brilliancy  of  our  lantern. 

Ou  the  15th  of  May  we  W3re  at  the  extreme  south  of 
the  Bank  of  Newfoundland.  This  bank  consists  of 
alluvia,  or  large  heaps  of  organic  matter,  brought  either 
from  the  equator  by  the  Gulf  Stream,  or  from  the  North 
Pole  by  the  counter-current  of  cold  water  which  skirts  the 
American  coast.  There  a?so  are  heaped  up  those  erratic 
blocks  which  are  carried  along  by  the  broken  ice;  and 
close  by  a  vast  charnel-house  of  mollusks  or  zoophytes, 
which  perish  here  by  millions.  The  depth  of  the  sea  is  not 
great  at  Newfoundland — not  more  than  some  hundreds  of 
fathoms;  but  toward  f^e  mouth  is  a  depression  of  1,500 
fathoms.  There  the  Gulf  Stream  widens.  It  loses  some 
of  its  speed  and  some  of  its  temperature,  but  it  becomes  a 
sea. 

It  was  on  the  17th  of  May,  about  500  miles  from 
Heart's  Content,  at  a  depth  of  more  than  1,400  fathoms, 
that  I  saw  the  electric  cable  lying  on  the  bottom.  Con- 
seil,  to  whom  I  had  not  mentioned  it,  thought  at  first  that 
it  was  a  gigantic  sea-serpent.  But  I  undeceived  the 
worthy  fellow,  and  by  way  of  consolation  related  several 
particulars  in  the  laying  of  this  cable.  The  first  one  was 
laid  in  the  years  1857  and  1858,  but,  after  transmitting 
about  400  telegrams,  would  not  act  any  longer.  In  1863, 
the  engineers  constructed  another  one,  measuring  2,000 
miles  in  length,  and  weighing  4,500  tons^,  which  was 
embarked  ou  the  Great  Eastern,  This  attempt  also 
failed. 

On  the  25th  of  May,  the  Nautilus  being  at  a  depth  of 
more  than  1,918  fathoms,  was  on  the  precise  spot  where 
t!^e  rupture  occurred  which  ruined  the  enteri)rise.  It 
was  within  638  miles  of  the  coast  of  Ireland;  and  at  half- 
past  two  in  the  afternoon  they  discovered  that  communi- 
cation with  Europe  had  ceased.  The  electricians  on  board 
resolved  to  cut  the  cable  before  fishing  it  up,  and  at  eleven 
o'clock  at  night  they  had  recovered  the  damaged  part. 
They  made  another  point  and  spliced  it,  and  it  was  once 
more  submerged.  But  some  days  after  it  broke  again, 
and  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean  could  not  be  recaptured. 
The  Americans,  however,  were  not  discouraged.  Cyrus 
Field,  the  bold  promoter  of  the  enterprise,  as  he  had  sunk 
ftlihis  own  fortune,  set  a  new  subscription  on  foot,  whicb 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  2?5 

was  at  once  answered,  and  another  cable  was  constructed 
on  better  principles.  The  bundles  of  conducting  wires 
were  each  enveloped  in  gutta-percha,  and  protected  by  a 
wadding  of  hemp,  cortained  in  a  metallic  covering.  The 
Great  Eastern  sailed  on  the  13th  of  July,  lb66.  The 
operation  worked  well.  But  one  incident  occurred. 
Several  times  in  unrolling  the  cable  they  observed  that 
nails  had  been  recently  forced  into  it,  evidently  with  tiie 
motive  of  destroying  it.  Captain  Anderson,  the  oflBcers 
and  engineers,  consulted  together,  and  had  it  posted  up 
that  if  the  offender  was  surprised  on  board,  he  would  be 
thrown  without  further  trial  into  the  sea.  From  that 
time  the  criminal  attempt  was  never  repeated. 

On  the  23d  of  July  the  Great  Eastern  was  not  more  than 
500  miles  from  Newfoundland,  when  they  telegraphed 
from  Ireland  news  of  the  armistice  Cv>ncluded  between 
Prussia  and  Austria,  after  Sadowa.  On  the  27th,  in  the 
midst  of  heavy  fogs,  they  reached  the  port  of  Heart's  Con- 
tent. The  enterprise  was  successfully  terminated;  and 
for  its  first  dispatch  young  America  addressed  old  Europe 
in  these  words  of  wisdom  so  rarely  understood:  "  Glory 
to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  to- 
ward men." 

I  did  not  expect  to  find  the  electric  cable  in  its  primitive 
state,  such  as  it  was  on  leaving  the  manufactory.  The  long 
serpent,  covered  with  the  remains  of  shells,  bristling  witli 
foraminifei^ae,  was  incrusted  with  a  strong  coating  which 
served  as  a  protection  against  all  boring  mollusks.  It  lay 
quietly  sheltered  from  the  motions  of  the  sea,  and  under  a 
favorable  pressure  for  the  transmission  of  the  electric 
spark  which  passes  from  Europe  to  America  in  .32  of  a 
second.  Doubtless  this  cable  will  last  for  a  great  length 
of  time,  for  they  find  that  the  gutta-percha  covering  is 
improved  by  the  sea-water.  Besides,  on  this  level,  so  well 
chosen,  the  cable  is  never  so  deeply  submerged  as  to  cause 
it  to  break.  The  Nautilus  followed  it  to  the  lowest  depth, 
which  was  more  than  2,212  fathoms,  and  there  it  lay  with- 
out any  anchorage,  and  then  we  reached  the  spot  where 
the  accident  had  taken  place  in  1863.  The  bottom  of  the 
ocean  then  formed  a  valley  about  100  miles  broad,  in  wliich 
Mont-Blanc  might  have  been  placed  without  its  summit  ap- 
pearing above  the  waves.  This  valley  is  closed  at  the  east 
by  a  perpendicular  wall  more  than  2,000  yards  high.     We 


276  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

arrived  there  on  the  28th  of  May,  and  the  Nautilus  wai 
then  not  more  than  130  miles  from  Ireland. 

Was  Captain  Nemo  going  to  land  on  the  British  Isles? 
No.  To  my  great  surprise  he  made  for  the  south,  once  more 
coming  back  toward  European  seas.  In  rounding  the 
Emerald  Isle,  for  one  instant  I  caught  sigiitof  Cape  Clear, 
and  the  light  which  guides  the  thousands  of  vessels  leaving 
Glasgow  or  Liverpool.  An  important  question  then  arose 
in  my  mind.  Did  the  Nautilus  dare  entangle  itself  in  the 
Mauch?  Ned  Land,  who  had  reappeared  since  we  had 
been  nearing  land,  did  not  cease  to  question  me.  How 
could  I  answer?  Captain  Nemo  remained  invisible.  After 
having  shown  the  Canadian  a  glimpse  of  American  shores, 
was  he  going  to  show  me  the  coast  of  France? 

But  the  Nautilus  was  still  going  southward.  On  the 
30th  of  May, 'it  passed  in  sight  of  the  Land's  End,  be- 
tween the  extreme  point  of  England  and  the  Scilly  Isles, 
which  were  left  to  starboard.  If  he  wished  to  enter  the 
Mauch  he  must  go  straight  to  the  east.     He  did  not  do  so. 

During  the  whole  of  the  31st  of  May,  che  Nautilus  de- 
scribed a  series  of  circles  on  the  water,  which  greatly  in- 
terested me.  It  seemed  to  be  seeking  a  spot  it  had  some 
trouble  in  finding.  At  noon.  Captain  Nemo  himself  came 
to  work  the  ship's  log.  He  spoke  no  word  to  me,  but 
seemed  gloomier  than  ever.     What  could  sadden  him  thus? 

Was  it  its  proximity  to  European  shores?  Had  h^  some 
recollections  of  his  abandoned  country?  If  not,  what  did 
he  feel?  Remorse  or  regret?  For  a  long  while  this  thought 
haunted  my  mind,  and  I  had  a  kind  of  presentiment  that 
before  long  chance  would  betray  the  captain's  secrets. 

The  next  day,  the  1st  of  June,  the  Nautilus  continued  the 
same  process.  It  was  evidently  seeking  some  particular 
spot  in  the  ocean.  Captain  Nemo  took  the  sun's  altitude  as 
he  had  done  the  day  before.  The  sea  was  beautiful,  the  sky 
clear.  About  eight  miles  to  the  east,  a  large  steam-vessel 
could  be  discerned  on  the  horizon.  No  flag  fluttered  from 
its  mast,  and  I  could  not  discover  its  nationality.  Some 
minutes  before  the  sun  passed  the  meridian,  Captain  Nemo 
took  his  sextant,  and  watched  with  great  attention.  The 
perfect  rest  of  the  water  greatly  helped  the  operation.  The 
Nautilus  was  motionless;  it  neither  rolled  nor  pitched. 

I  was  on  the  platform  when  the  altitude  was  taken,  and 
the  caR<;ain  pronounced  these  words:  **It  is  here," 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  277 

He  turned  and  went  below.  Had  he  seen  the  vessel 
which  was  changing  its  coarse  and  seemed  to  be  nearing 
us?  I  could  not  tell.  I  returned  to  the  saloon.  The 
panels  closed,  I  heard  the  hissing  of  the  water  in  the 
reservoirs.  The  Nautilus  began  to  sink,  following  a 
vertical  line,  for  its  screw  communicated  no  motion  to  it. 
Some  minutes  later  it  stopped  at  a  depth  of  more  than 
420  fathoms,  resting  on  the  ground.  The  luminous  ceil- 
ing was  darkened,  then  the  panels  were  opened,  and 
through  the  glass  I  saw  the  sea  brilliantly  illuminated  by 
rays  of  our  lantern  for  at  least  half  a  mile  round  us. 

I  looked  to  the  port  side,  and  saw  nothing  but  an  im- 
mensity of  quiet  waters.  But  to  starboard,  on  the  bottom 
appeared  a  large  protuberance,  which  at  once  attracted  my 
attention.  One  would  have  thought  it  a  ruin  buried 
under  a  coating  of  white  shells,  much  resembling  a  cover- 
ing of  snow.  Upon  examining  the  mass  attentively,  I 
could  recognize  the  ever-thickening  form  of  a  vessel  bare 
of  its  masts,  which  must  have  sunk.  It  certainly  belonged 
to  past  times.  This  wreck,  to  be  thus  incrusted  with  the 
lime  of  the  water,  must  already  be  able  to  count  many 
years  at  the.  bottom  of  the  ocean. 

What  was  this  vessel?  Why  did  the  Nautilus  visit  its 
tomb?  Could  it  have  been  aught  but  a  shipwreck  which 
had  drawn  it  under  the  water?  I  knew  not  what  to 
think,  when  near  me  in  a  slow  voice  I  heard  Captain 
Nemo  say: 

**  At  one  time  this  ship  was  called  the  Marseillais.  It 
carried  seventy-four  guns,  and  was  launched  in  1752.  In 
1778,  the  13th  of  August,  commanded  by  La  Poype- 
Vertrieux,  it  fought  badly  against  the  Preston.  In  1779, 
on  the  4th  of  July,  it  was  at  the  taking  of  Grenada  with 
the  squadron  of  Admiral  Estaing.  In  1781,  on  the  5th  of 
September,  it  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Comte  de  Grasse, 
in  Chesapeake  Bay.  In  1794,  the  French  Eepublic  changed 
its  name.  On  the  16th  of  April,  in  the  satne  'year,  it 
Joined  the  squadron  of  Villaret  Joyeuse,  at  Brest,  being 
intrusted  with  the  escort  of  a  cargo  of  corn  coming  from 
America,  under  the  command  of  Admiral  Van  Stabel.  On 
the  11th  and  12th  Prairal  of  the  second  year,  this  squadron 
fell  in  with  an  English  vessel.  Sir,  to-day  is  the  13th 
Prairal,  the  1st  of  June,  1868.  It  is  now  seventy-four 
years  ago,  day  for  day  on  this  very  spot,  in  latitute  4?* 


278  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

24',  longitude  17°  28',  that  this  vessel,  after  fighting  heroic- 
ally, losing  its  three  masts,  with  the  water  in  its  hold, 
and  the  third  of  its  crew  disabled,  preferred  sinking  with 
its  356  sailors  to  surrendering;  and  nailing  its  colors  to 
the  poop,  disappeared  under  the  waves  to  the  cry  of  '  Long 
live  the  Republic?'" 

**  The  Avenger!"'    I  exclaimed. 

'*Yes,  sir,  the  Avenger!  A  good  name!"  muttered 
Captain  Nemo,  crossing  his  arms. 


\ 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

A  HECATOMB. 

The  way  of  describing  this  unlooked-for  scene,  the  his- 
tory of  the  patriot  ship,  told  at  first  so  coldly,  and  the 
emotion  with  which  this  strange  man  pronounced  the  last 
words,  the  name  of  the  Avenger,  the  significance  of  which 
could  not  escape  me,  all  impressed  itself  deeply  on  my 
mind.  My  eyes  did  not  leave  the  captain;  who,  with  his 
hand  stretched  out  to  sea,  was  watching  with  a  glowing 
eye  the  glorious  wreck.  Perhaps  I  was  never  to  know  who 
he  was,  from  whence  he  came,  or  where  we  was  going  to, 
but  I  «aw  the  man  move,  and  apart  from  the  savant.  It 
■was  no  common  misanthropy  which  had  shut  Captain 
Nemo  and  his  companions  within  the  Nautilus,  but  a 
hatred,  either  monstrous  or  sublime,  which  time  could  never 
weaken.  Did  this  hatred  still  seek  for  vengeance?  The 
future  would  soon  teach  me  that.  But  the  Nautilus  was 
rising  slowly  to  the  surface  of  the  sea,  and  the  form  of  the 
Avenger  disappeared  by  degrees  from  my  sight.  Soon  a 
slight  rolling  told  me  we  were  in  the  open  air.  At  that 
moment  a  dull  boom  was  heard.  I  looked  at  the  captain. 
He  did  not  move, 

"Captain?"  said  I. 

He  did  not  answer.  I  left  him  and  mounted  the  plat- 
form.    Conseil  and  the  Canadian  were  already  there. 

"  Where  did  that  sound  come  from?"  I  asked. 

*'It  was  a  gunshot,"  replied  Ned  Land. 

I  looked  in  the  direction  of  the  vessel  I  had  already  seei^. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  STO 

It  was  nearing  the  Nautilus,  and  wo  could  see  that  it  was 
putting  on  steam.     It  was  within  six  miles  of  us. 

''  What  is  that  ship,  Ned?" 

*•'  By  its  rigging,  and  the  height  of  its  lower  masts,"  said 
the  Canadian,  "  I  bet  she  is  a  ship  of  war.  May  it  reach 
us;  and,  if  necessary,  sink  the  cursed  Nautilus." 

"  Friend  Ned,"  replied  Conseil,  "  what  harm  can  it  do 
to  the  Nautilus?  Can  it  attack  it  beneath  the  waves? 
Can  it  cannonade  us  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea?" 

"Tell  me,  Ned,"  said  I,  "can  you  recognize  what 
country  she  belongs  to?" 

The  Canadian  knitted  his  eyebrows,  dropped  his  eyelids, 
and  screwed  up  the  corners  of  his  eyes,  and  for  a  few 
moments  fixed  a  piercing  look  upon  the  vessel. 

"No,  sir."  he  replied;  "I  cannot  tell  what  nation  she 
belongs  to,  for  she  shows  no  colors.  But  I  can  declare 
she  is  a  man-of-war,  for  a  long  pennant  flutters  from  her 
main-mast." 

For  a  quarter  of  an  hour  we  watched  the  ship  which 
was  steaming  toward  us.  I  could  not,  however,  believe 
.that  she  could  see  the  Nautilus  from  that  distance,  and 
still  less  that  she  could  know  what  this  submarine  engine 
was.  Soon  the  Canadian  informed  mo  that  she  was  a 
large  armored  two-decker  ram.  A  thick  black  smoke  was 
pouring  from  her  two  funnels.  iHer  closely  furled  sails 
were  stopped  to  her  yards.  She  hoisted  no  flag  at  her 
mizzen-peak.  The  distance  prevented  us  from  distinguish- 
the  colors  of  her  pennant,  which  floated  like  a  thin  ribbon. 
She  advanced  rapidly.  If  Captain  Nemo  allowed  her  to 
approach,  there  was  a  chance  of  salvation  for  us. 

"  Sir,"  said  Ned  Land,  "  if  that  vessel  passes  within  a 
mile  of  us,  I  shall  throw  myself  into  the  sea,  and  I  should 
advise  you  to  do  the  same." 

I  did  not  reply  to  the  Canadian's  suggestion,  but  con- 
tinued watching  the  ship.  Whether  English,  French, 
American  or  Russian,  she  would  be  sure  to  take  us  in  if 
we  could  only  reach  her.  Presently  a  v/hite  smoke  burst 
from  the  forepart  of  the  vessel;  some  seconds  after  the 
water,  agitated  by  the  fall  of  a  heavy  body,  splashed  the 
stern  of  the  Nautilus,  and  shortly  afterward  a  loud  explo- 
sion struck  my  ear. 

"  WhatI  they  are  firing  at  us!"  I  exclaimed. 


280  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

"  So  please  you,  sir,"  said  Ned,  "  tliey  have  recognized 
the  unicorn,  and  they  are  firing  at  us." 

"But,"  I  exclaimed,  "  surely  they  can  see  that  there  are 
men  in  the  case?" 

"  It  is,  perhaps,  because  of  that,"  replied  Ned  Land, 
looking  at  me. 

A  whole  flood  of  light  burst  upon  my  mind.  Doubtless 
they  knew  now  how  to  believe  the  stories  of  the  pretended 
monster.  No  doubt,  on  board  the  Abraham  Lincoln,  when 
the  Canadian  struck  it  with  the  harpoon,  Commander 
Farragut  had  recognized  in  the  supposed  narwhal  a  sub- 
marine vessel,  more  dangerous  than  a  supernatural  ceta- 
cean. Yes,  it  must  have  been  so,  and  on  every  sea  they 
were  now  seeking  this  engine  of  destruction.  Terrible 
indeed!  if,  as  we  supposed,  Captain  Nemo  employed  the 
Nautilus  in  works  of  vengeance.  On  the  night  when  we 
were  imprisoned  in  that  cell,  in  the  midst  of  the  Indian 
Ocean,  had  he  not  attacked  some  vessel?  The  man  buried 
in  the  coral  cemetery,  had  he  not  been  a  victim  to  the 
shock  caused  by  the  Nautilus?  Yes,  I  repeat  it:  it  must 
be  so.  One  part  of  the  mysterious  existence  of  Captain 
Nemo  had  been  unveiled;  and,  if  his  identity  had  not 
been  recognized,  at  least  the  nations  united  against  him 
were  no  longer  hunting  a  chimerical  creature,  but  a  man 
who  had  vowed  a  deadly  hatred  against  them.  All  the 
formidable  past  rose  before  me.  Instead  of  meeting  friends 
on  board  the  approaching  ship,  we  could  only  expect  piti- 
less enemies.  15ut  the  shot  rattled  about  us.  Some  of 
them  struck  the  sea  and  ricochetted,  losing  themselves  in 
tiie  distance.  But  none  touched  the  Nautilus.  The  ves- 
sel was  not  more  than  three  miles  from  us.  In  spite  of 
the  serious  cannonade,  Captain  Nemo  did  not  appear  on 
the  platform;  but,  if  one  of  the  conical  projectiles  had 
struck  the  sliell  of  the  Nautilus,  it  would  have  been  fatal. 
The  Canadian  then  said,  "  Sir,  we  must  do  all  we  can  to 
get  out  of  this  dilemma.  Let  us  signal  them.  They  will 
then,  perhaps,  understand  that  we  are  honest  folks." 

Ned  Land  took  his  handkerchief  to  wave  in  the  air,  but 
he  had  scarcely  displayed  it  when  he  was  struck  down  by 
an  iron  hand,  and  fell,  in  spite  of  his  great  strength,  upon 
♦he  deck. 

**FoolI"   exclaimed  the  captain,  "do your  wish  to  be 


20,000    LEAGUES     UJS'nEll    TUE    SEAS,  281 

pierced  by  tlie  spur  of  tlie  Nautilus  before  it  is  hurled  at 
this  vessel?" 

Captain  Nemo  was  terrible  to  hear;  he  was  still  more 
terrible  to  see.  His  face  was  deadly  pale  with  a  spasm 
at  his  heart.  For  an  instant  it  must  have  ceased  to 
beat.  H^is  pupils  were  fearfully  contracted.  He  did  not 
»peak,  he  roared,  as,  with  his  body  thrown  forward,  he 
wrung  the  Canadian's  shoulders.  Then,  leaving  him, 
and  turning  to  the  ship  of  war,  whose  shot  was  still  rain- 
ing around  him,  he  exclaimed  with  apoweful  voice,  ''  Ah, 
ship  of  an  accursed  nation,  you  know  who  I  am!  I  do  noi 
want  your  colors  to  know  you  by!  Look!  and  I  will  show 
you  mine!" 

And  on  the  forepart  of  the  platform  Captain  Nemo 
unfurled  a  black  flag,  similar  to  the  one  he  had  placed  at 
the  South  pole.  At  that  moment  a  shot  struck  the  shell 
of  the  Nautilus  obliquely,  without  piercing  it:  and  re- 
bounding near  the  captain,  was  lost  in  the  sea.  He 
shrugged  his  shoulders;  and  addressing  me,  said  shortly, 
"  Go  down,  you,  and  your  companions,  go  down!" 

"Sir,"  I  exclaimed,  "are  you  going  to  attack  this 
vessel?" 

"Sir,  I  am  going  to  sink  it." 

"  You  will  not  do  that!" 

"  I  shall  do  it,"  he  replied,  coldly.  "  And  I  advise 
you  not  to  judge  me,  sir.  Fate  has  shown  you  what 
you  ought  not  to  have  seen.  The  attack  has  begun;  go 
down." 

"  What  is  this  vessel?" 

"  You  do  not  know?  Very  well!  so  much  the  better! 
its  nationality  to  you,  at  least,  will  be  a  secret.  Go 
down!" 

We  could  but  obey.  About  fifteen  of  the  sailors  sur- 
rounded the  captain,  looking  with  implacable  hatred  at 
the  vessel  nearing  them.  One  could  feel  that  the  same 
desire  of  vengeance  animated  every  soul.  I  went  down  at 
the  moment  another  projectile  struck  the  Nautilus,  and  I 
heard  the  captain  exclaim: 

"Strike,  mad  vessel!  Shower  your  useless  shot!  And 
then,  you  will  not  escape  the  spur  of  the  Nautilus.  But 
it  is  not  here  that  you  shall  perish!  I  would  not  have 
your  ruins  mingle  with  those  of  the  Avenger!" 


3SS  80,000    LEAGUES    UNDEll    THE    SEAS. 

I  reached  my  room.  The  captain  and  his  second  had 
remained  on  the  platform.  The  screw  was  set  in  motion, 
and  the  Nautilus,  moving  with  speed,  was  soon  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  ship's  guns.  But  the  pursuit  continued, 
and  Captain  Nemo  contented  himself  with  keeping  his 
distance. 

About  four  in  the  afternoon,  being  no  longer  able  to 
contain  my  impatience,  I  went  to  the  central  staircase. 
The  panel  was  open,  and  I  ventured  on  to  the  platform. 
The  captain  was  still  walking  up  and  down  with  an  agi- 
tated step.  He  was  looking  at  the  ship,  which  was  five  or 
six  miles  to  leeward. 

He  was  going  round  it  like  a  wild  beast,  and  drawing 
eastward,  he  allowed  them  to  pursue.  But  he  did  not  at- 
tack. Perhaps  he  still  hesitated?  I  wished  to  mediate 
once  more.  But  I  had  scarcely  spoken,  when  Captain 
Nemo  imposed  silence,  saying: 

*'  I  am  the  law,  and  I  am  the  judge!  I  am  the  oppressed, 
and  there  is  the  oppressor!  Through  him  I  have  lost  all 
that  I  loved,  cherished,  and  venerated — country,  wife, 
children,  father,  and  mother.  I  saw  all  perish!  All  that 
I  hate  is  there!     Say  no  more!" 

I  cast  a  last  look  at  the  man-of-war  which  was  putting 
on  steam,  and  rejoined  Ned  and  Conseil. 

"  We  will  flv!"  I  exclaimed. 

"  Good !"  said  Ned.     "  What  is  this  vessel  ?" 

**I  do  not  know;  but  whatever  it  is,  it  will  be  sunk  be- 
fore night.  In  any  case,  it  is  better  to  perish  with  it, 
than  be  made  accomplices  in  a  retaliation,  the  justice  of 
which  we  cannot  judge." 

"  That  is  my  opinion  too,"  said  Ned  Land,  coolly. 
*'  Let  us  wait  for  night." 

Night  arrived.  Deep  silence  reigned  on  board.  The 
compass  showed  that  the  Nautilus  had  not  altered  its 
course.  It  was  on  the  surface,  rolling  slightly.  My 
companions  and  I  resolved  to .  fly  when  the  vessel  should 
be  near  enough  to  hear  us  or  to  see  us;  for  the  moon, 
which  would  be  full  in  two  or  three  days,  shone  brightly. 
Once  on  board  the  ship,  if  we  could  not  prevent  the  blow 
which  threatened  it,  we  could,  at  least  we  would,  do  all 
that  circumstances  would  allow.  Several  times  I  thought 
the  Nautilus  was  preparing  for  attack;  but  Captain  Nemo 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  283 

contented  himself  with  allowing  his  adversary  to  approach^ 
and  then  fled  once  more  before  it. 

Part  of  the  night  passed  without  any  incident.  We 
watched  the  opportunity  for  action.  We  spoke  little,  for 
we  were  too  much  moved.  Ned  Land  would  have  thrown 
himself/into  the  sea,  but  I  forced  him  to  wait.  According 
to  my  idea,  the  Nautilus  would  attack  the  ship  at  her 
water-line,  and  then  it  would  not  only  be  possible,  but 
easy  to  fly. 

At  three  in  the  morning,  full  of  uneasiness,  I  mounted 
the  platform.  Captain  Nemo  had  not  left  it.  He  was 
standing  at  the  forepart  near  his  flag,  which  a  slight 
breeze  displayed  above  his  head.  He  did  not  take  his 
eyes  from  the  vessel.  The  intensity  of  his  look  seemed  to 
attract,  and  fascinate,  and  draw  it  onward  more  surely 
than  if  he  had  been  towing  it.  The  moon  was  then  pass- 
ing the  meridian.  Jupiter  was  rising  in  the  east.  Amid 
this  peaceful  scene  of  nature,  sky  and  ocean  rivaled  each 
other  in  tranquillity,  the  sea  offering  to  the  orbs  of  night 
the  finest  mirror  they  could  ever  have  in  which  to  reflect 
their  image.  As  I  thought  of  the  deep  calm  of  these  ele- 
ments, compared  with  all  those  passions  brooding  im- 
perceptibly within  the  Nautilus,  I  shuddered. 

The  vessel  was  within  two  miles  of  us.  It  was  ever 
nearing  that  phosphorescent  light  which  showed  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Nautilus.  I  could  see  its  green  and  red  lights, 
and  its  white  lantern  hanging  from  the  large  mizzen-mast. 
An  indistinct  vibration  quivered  through  its  rigging,  show- 
ing that  the  furnaces  were  heated  to  the  uttermost.  Sheaves 
of  sparks  and  red  ashes  flew  from  the  funnels,  shining  in 
the  atmosphere  like  stars. 

I  remained  thus  until  six  in  the  morning,  without  Cap- 
tain Nemo  noticing  me.  The  ship  stood  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  from  us,  and  with  the  first  dawn  of  day  the  firing 
began  afresh.  The  moment  could  not  be  far  off  when, 
the  Nautilus  attacking  its  adversary,  my  companions  and 
myself  should  forever  leave  this  man.  I  was  preparing 
to  go  down  to  remind  them,  when  the  second  mounted  the 
platform,  accompanied  by  several  sailors.  Captain  Nemo 
either  did  not  or  would  not  see  them.  Some  steps  were 
taken  which  might  be  called  the  signal  for  action.  They 
were  very  simple.  The  iron  balustrade  around  the  plat- 
form was  lowered,  and  the  lantern  and  pilot-cages  were 


384  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    TSE    SEAS. 

pushed  within  the  shell  until  they  wore  flush  wiili  the 
deck.  The  long  surface  of  the  steel  cigar  no  longer  offered 
a  single  point  to  check  its  maneuvers.  I  returned  to  the 
saloon.  The  Nautilus  still  floated;  some  streaks  of  light 
were  filtering  through  the  liquid  beds.  With  the  undula- 
tions of  the  waves  the  windows  were  brightened  by  the  red 
streaks  of  the  rising  sun,  and  this  dreadful  day  of  the  2d 
of  June  had  dawned. 

At  five  o'clock,  the  log  showed  that  the  speed  of  the 
Nautilus  was  slackening,  and  I  knew  that  it  was  allowing 
them  to  draw  nearer.  Besides,  the  reports  were  heard 
more  distinctly,  and  the  projectiles,  laboring  through  the 
ambient  water,  were  extinguished  with  a  strange  hissing 
noise. 

"  My  friends,"  said  I,  "  the  moment  is  come.  One  grasp 
of  the  hand,  ajid  may  God  protect  us!" 

Ned  Land  was  resolute,  Conseil  calm,  myself  so  nervous 
that  I  knew  not  how  to  contain  myself.  We  all  passed 
into  the  library;  but  the  moment  I  pushed  the  door  open- 
ing on  to  the  central  staircase,  I  heard  the  upper  panel 
close  sharply.  The  Canadian  rushed  on  to  the  stairs,  but 
I  stopped  him!  A  well-known  hissing  noise  told  me  that 
the  water  was  running  into  the  reservoirs,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  Nautilus  was  some  yards  beneath  the  surface 
of  the  water.  I  understood  the  maneuver.  It  was  too 
late  to  act.  The  Nautilus  did  not  wish  to  strike  at  tlie 
impenetrable  cuirass,  but  below  the  water-line,  where  the 
metallic  covering  no  longer  protected  it. 

We  were  again  imprisoned,  unwilling  witnesses  of  the 
dreadful  drama  that  was  preparing.  We  had  scarcely 
time  to  reflect;  taking  refuge  in  my  room,  we  looked  at 
each  other  without  speaking.  A  deep  stupor  had  taken 
hold  of  my  mind;  thought  seemed  to  stand  still.  I  was 
in  that  painful  state  of  expectation  preceding  a  dreadful 
report.  I  waited,  I  listened,  every  sense  was  merged  in 
that  of  hearing!  The  speed  of  the  Nautilus  was  acceler- 
ated. It  was  preparing  to  rush.  The  whole  ship 
trembled.  Suddenly  I  screamed.  I  felt  the  shock  but 
comparatively  light.  I  felt  the  penetrating  power  of  the 
steel  spur.  I  heard  rattlings  and  scrapings.  But  the 
Nautilus,  carried  along  by  its  propelling  power,  passed 
through  the  mass  of  the  yessel,  like  a  needle  passing 
thi'ough  sail-cloth. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  285 

I  could  stand  it  no  longer.  Mad,  out  of  my  mind,  I 
ruihed  from  my  room  into  the  saloon.  Captain  Nemo 
was  ther<?,  mute,  gloomy,  implacable;  ho  was  looking 
through  the  port-panel.  A  large  mass  east  a  shadow  on 
the  water,  and  that  it  might  lose  nothing  of  her  agony, 
the  Nautilus  was  going  down  into  the  abyss  with  her. 
Ten  yards  from  me  I  saw  the  open  shell  through  which  the 
water  was  rushing  with  the  noise  of  thunder,  then  the 
double  line  of  guns  and  the  netting.  The  bridge  was 
covered  with  black,  agitated  shadows. 

The  water  was  rising.  The  poor  creatures  were  crowd- 
ing the  ratlings,  clinging  to  the  masts,  struggling  under 
the  water.  It  was  a  human  ant-heap  overtaken  by  tha 
sea.  Paralyzed,  stiffened  with  anguish,  my  hair  standing 
on  end,  with  eyes  wide  open,  panting,  without  breath  and 
without  voice,  I  too  was  watching!  An  irresistible  at- 
traction glued  me  to  the  glass!  Suddenly  an  explosion 
took  place.  The  compressed  air  blew  up  ])er  decks,  as  if 
the  magazine  had  caught  fire.  Then  the  unfortunate 
vessel  sunk  more  rapidly.  Her  topmast,  laden  with  vic- 
tims, now  appeared;  then  her  spars,  bending  under  the 
weight  of  men;  and  last  of  all,  the  top  of  her  mainmast. 
Then  the  dark  mass  disappeared,  and  with  it  the  dead 
crew,  drawn  down  by  the  strong  eddy. 

I  turned  to  Captain  Nemo.  That  terrible  avenger,  a 
perfect  archangel  of  hatred,  was  still  looking.  When  all 
was  over,  he  turned  to  his  room,  opened  the  door,  and 
entered.  I  followed  him  with  my  eyes.  On  the  end  wall 
beneath  his  heroes,  1  saw  the  portrait  of  a  woman  still 
young,  and  two  little  children.  Captan  Nemo  looked  at 
them  for  some  moments,  stretched  liis  arms  toward  them, 
««,nd  kneeling  down  burst  into  deep  sobs. 


CHAPTEE  XXII. 

THE   LAST   WORDS   OF   CAPTAIN   NEMO. 

The  panels  had  closed  on  this  dreadful  vision,  but 
light  had  not  returned  to  the  saloon:  all  was  silence  and 
darkness  within  the  Nautilus.  At  wonderful  speed,  a 
hundred  feet  beneath  the  water,  it  was  leaving  this  deso- 


286  20,000    LEAGUES    TTITDER    THE    SEAS. 

late  spot.  Wliither  was  it  going?  To  the  north  or  south? 
Where  was  the  man  flying  to  after  such  dreadful  retalia- 
tion? I  had  returned  to  ray  room,  where  Ned  and  Oon- 
seil  'had  remained  silent  enough.  I  felt  an  insurmounta- 
ble horror  for  Captain  Nemo.  Whatever  he  had  suffered 
it  the  hands  of  these  men,  he  had  no  right  to  punish 
thus.  He  had  made  me,  if  not  an  accomplice,  at  least  a 
witness  of  his  vengeance.  At  eleven  the  electric  light  re- 
appeared. I  passed  into  the  saloon.  It  was  deserted.  I 
consulted  the  different  instruments.  The  Nautilus  was 
flying  northward  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  miles  an  hour, 
now  on  the  surface,  and  now  thirty  feet  below  it.  On 
taking  the  bearings  by  the  chart,  I  saw  that  we  were 
passing  the  mouth  of  the  Manche,  and  that  our  course 
was  hurrying  us  toward  the  northern  seas  at  a  frightful 
Bpeed.  That  night  we  had  crossed  two  hundred  leagues 
of  the  Atlantic.  The  shadows  fell,  and  the  sea  was 
covered  with  darkness  until  the  rising  of  the  moon.  I 
went  to  my  room,  but  could  not  sleep.  I  was  troubled 
with  dreadful  night-mare.  The  horrible  scene  of  de- 
struction was  continually  before  my  eyes.  From  that 
day,  who  could  tell  into  what  part  of  the  North  Atlantic 
basin  the  Nautilus  would  take  us?  Still  with  unac- 
countable speed.  Still  in  the  midst  of  these  northern 
fogs.  Would  it  touch  at  Spitzbergen,  or  on  the  shores 
of  Nova  Zembla?  Should  we  explore  those  unknown  seas 
— the  White  Sea,  the  Sea  of  Kara,  the  Gulf  of  Obi,  the 
Archipelago  of  Liarrow,  and  the  unknown  coast  of  Asia? 
I  could  not  say.  I  could  no  longer  judge  of  the  time  that 
was  passing.  The  clocks  had  been  stopped  on  board.  It 
seemed,  as  in  polar  countries,  that  night  and  day  no  longer 
followed  their  regular  course.  I  felt  myself  being  drawn 
into  that  strange  region  where  the  foundered  imagination 
of  Edgar  Poe  roamed  at  will.  Like  the  fabulous  Gordon 
Pym,  at  every  moment  I  expected  to  see  "  that  veiled 
human  figure,  of  larger  proportions  than  those  of  any  in- 
habitant of  the  earth,  thrown  across  the  cataract  which 
defends  the  approach  to  the  pole."  I  estimated  (though, 
perhaps,  I  may  be  mistaken) — I  estimated  this  adventur- 
ous course  of  the  Nautilus  to  have  lasted  fifteen  or  twenty 
days. 

And   I   know  not  how   much   longer    it  might  have 
lasted,  had  it  not  been  for  the  catastrophe  which  ended 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  28? 

this  voyage.  Of  Captain  Nemo  I  saw  nothing  whatever 
now,  nor  of  his  second.  Not  a  man  of  the  crew  was  visi- 
ble for  an  instant.  The  Nautilus  was  almost  incessantly 
under  water.  When  we  came  to  the  surface  to  renew  the 
air  tlie  panels  op^n(^  and  sluit  mechanically.  There  were 
no  more  marks  6n  the  planisphere.  I  knew  not  where  we 
were.  And  the  Canadian,  too,  his  strength  and  patience 
at  an  end,  appeared  no  more.  Conseil  could  not  draw  a 
word  from  him,  and  fearing  that,  in  a  dreadful  fit  of  mad- 
ness, he  might  kill  himself,  watched  him  with  constant 
devotion.  One  morning  (what  date  it  was  I  could  not  say) 
I  had  fallen  into  a  heavy  sleep  toward  the  early  hours,  a 
sleep  both  gainful  and  unhealthy,  when  I  suddenly  awoke. 
Ned  Land  was  loiining  over  me,  saying  in  a  low  voice, 
**  We  aj'e  going  to  fly." 

I  sat  up. 

"  When  shall  we  go?"  I  asked. 

*'  To-morrow  night.  All  inspection  on  board  the  Nau- 
tilus seems  to  have  ceased.  All  appear  to  be  stupefied. 
Yon  will  be  ready,  sir?" 

"Yes;  where  are  we?" 

"  In  sight  of  land.  I  took  the  reckoning  this  morning 
in  the  fog — twenty  miles  to  the  east." 

"What  country  is  it?" 

"  I  do  not  know;  but  whatever  it  is,  we  will  take  refuge 
there." 

"  Yes,  Ned,  yes.  We  will  fly  to-night,  even  if  the  sea 
should  swallow  us  up." 

*'  The  sea  'fs  ba-^,  the  wind  violent,  but  twenty  miles  in 
that  light  boat  of  the  Nautilus  does  not  frighten  me. 
Unknown  to  the  crew,  I  have  been  able  to  procure  food 
and  some  bottles  of  water." 

"  I  will  follow  you." 

"  But,"  continued  the  Canadian,  "  if  I  am  surprised  I 
will  defend  myself;  I  will  force  them  to  kill  me." 

"  We  will  die  together,  friend  Ned." 

I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  all.  The  Canadian  left  me. 
I  reached  the  platform,  on  which  I  could  with  difliculty 
support  myself  against  the  shock  of  the  waves.  The  sky 
was  threatening;  but  as  land  was  in  those  thick  brown 
shadows,  we  must  fly.  I  returned  to  the  saloon,  fearing 
and  yet  hoping  to  see  Captain  Nemo,  wishing  and  yet  not 


2SS  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

wishing  to  see  him.  What  could  I  have  said  to  him? 
Could  I  hide  the  involuntary  horror  with  which  he  in- 
spired me?    No.     It  was  better  that  I  should  not  meet 

him  face  to  face;  better  to  forget  him.    And  yet How 

long  seemed  that  day,  the  last  that  I  should  pass  in  the 
Nautilus.  I  remained  alone.  Ned  Land  and  Conseil 
avoided  speaking,  for  fear  of  betraying  themselves.  At 
six  I  dined,  but  1  was  not  hungry;  I  forced  myself  to  eat, 
in  spite  of  my  disgust,  that  [  might  not  weaken  myself. 
At  i)alf-past  six  Ned  Land  came  to  my  room  saying,  "  We 
shall  not  see  each  other  again  before  our  departure.  At 
ton  the  moon  will  not  be  risen.  We  will  profit  by  the 
darkness.  Come  to  the  boat;  Conseil  and  I  will  wait  for 
you." 

The  Canadian  went  ®ut  without  giving  me  time  to 
answer.  Wisliing  to  verify  the  course  of  the  Nautilus, 
I  went  to  tlie  saloon.  We  were  running  N.N.E.  at  fright- 
ful speed,  and  more  than  fifty  yards  deep.  I  cast  a  last 
look  on  these  wonders  of  nature,  on  the  riches  of  art 
heaped  up  in  this  museum,  upon  the  unrivaled  collection 
destined  to  perish  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  with  him  who 
had  formed  it.  I  wished  to  fix  an  indelible  impression  of 
it  on  my  mind.  I  remained  an  hour  thus,  bathed  in  the 
light  of  that  luminous  ceiling,  and  passing  in  review  those 
treasures  shining  under  their  glasses.  Then  I  returned  to 
my  room. 

I  dressed  myself  in  strong  sea  clothing.  I  collected 
my  notes,  placing  them  carefully  about  me.  My  heart 
beat  loudly.  1  could  not  check  its  pulsations.  Certainly 
my  trouble  and  agitation  would  have  betrayed  me  to 
Captain  Nemo's  eyes.  What  was  he  doing  at  this  mo- 
ment? I  listened  at  the  door  of  his  room.  I  heard  steps. 
Captain  Nemo  was  there.  He  had  not  gone  to  rest.  At 
every  moment  I  expected  to  see  him  appear,  and  ask  me 
why  I  wished  to  fly.  I  was  constantly  on  the  alert.  My 
imagination  magnified  everything.  The  impression  be- 
came at  last  so  poignant,  that  I  asked  myself  whether  it 
would  not  be  better  to  go  to  the  captain's  room,  see  him 
'face  to  face,  and  brave  him  with  look  and  gesture. 

It  was  the  inspiration  of  a  madman;  fortunately  I  re- 
sisted the  desire,  and  stretched  myself  on  my  bed  to  quiet 
my  bodily  agitation.     My  nerves  were  somewhat  calmer. 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS.  289 

but  in  my  excited  brain  I  saw  over  again  all  my  existence 
on  board  tho  Nautilus;  every  incident,  either  happy  or 
unfortunate,  which  had  happened  since  my  disappearance 
from  the  Abraham  Lincoln;  the  submjvi-ine  hunt,  the 
Torres  Straits,  the  savages  of  Papua,  the  running  ashore, 
the  coral  cemetery,  the  passage  of  Suez,  the  Island  of 
Santorin,  the  Cretan  diver,  Vigo  Bay,  Atlanta,  the  ice- 
bergs, the  South  Pole,  the  imprisonment  in  the  ice,  the 
fight  among  the  poulps,  the  storm  in  the  Gulf  Stream,  the 
Avenger,  and  the  horrible  scene  of  the  vessel  sunk  with 
all  her  crew.  All  these  events  passed  before  my  eyes  like 
scenes  in  a  drama.  Then  Captain  Nemo  seemed  to  grow 
enormously,  his  features  to  assume  superhuman  propor- 
tions. He  was  no  longer  my  equal,  but  a  man  of  the 
waters,  the  genie  of  the  sea. 

It  was  then  half  past  nine.  I  held  my  head  between 
my  hands  to  keep  it  from  bursting.  I  closed  my  eyes,  I 
would  not  think  any  longer.  There  was  another  half-hour 
to  wait,  another  half-hour  of  a  nightmare,  which  might 
drive  me  mad. 

At  that  moment  I  heard  the  distant  strains  of  the  organ, 
a  sad  harmony  to  an  undefinable  chant,  the  wail  of  a  soul 
longing  to  break  these  earthly  bonds.  I  listened  with 
every  sense,  scarcely  breathing;  plunged,  like  Captain 
Nemo,  in  that  musical  ecstasy,  which  was  drawing  him  in 
spirit  to  the  end  of  life. 

Then  a  sudden  thought  terrified  me.  Captain  Nemo 
had  left  his  room.  He  was  in  the  saloon,  which  I  must 
cross  to  fly.  There  I  should  meet  him  for  the  last  time. 
He  would  see  me,  perhaps  speak  to  me.  A  gesture  of  hia 
might  destroy  me,  a  single  word  chain  me  on  board. 

But  ten  was  about  to  strike.  The  moment  had  come 
for  me  to  leave  my  room  and  join  my  companions. 

I  must  not  hesitate,  even  if  Captain  Nemo  himself 
should  rise  befors  me.  I  opened  my  door  carefully;  and 
even  then,  as  it  turned  on  its  hinges,  it  seemed  to  me  to 
make  a  dreadful  noise.  Perhaps  it  only  existed  in  my  own 
imagination. 

I  crept  along  the  dark  stairs  of  the  Nautilus,  stopping 
at  each  step  to  check  the  beating  of  my  heart.  I  reached 
the  door  of  the  saloon,  and  opened  it  gently.  It  was 
plunged  in  profound  darkness.     The  strains  of  the  organ 


290  30,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SEAS. 

sounded  faintly.  Captain  Nemo  was  there.  He  did  not 
see  me.  In  the  full  light  1  do  not  think  he  would  have 
noticed  me,  so  entirely  was  he  absorhed  in  tiie  ecstasy.  I 
crept  along  the  carpet,  avoiding  the  slightest  sound  which 
might  betray  my  presence.  I  was  at  least  five  minutes 
reaching  the  door,  at  the  opposite  side,  opening  into  the 
library. 

I  was  going  to  open  it,  when  a  sigh  from  Captain  Nemo 
nailed  me  to  the  spot.  I  knew  that  he  was  rising.  1 
could  even  see  him,  for  the  light  from  the  library  came 
through  to  the  saloon.  He  came  toward  me  silently,  with 
ills  arms  crossed,  gliding  like  a  specter  rather  than  walk- 
ing. His  breast  was  swelling  with  sobs;  and  I  heard  him 
murmur  these  words  (the  last  which  ever  struck  my  ear): 

"  Almighty  God!  enough!  enough!" 

Was  it  a  confession  of  remorse  which  thus  escaped  from 
this  man's  conscience? 

In  desperation  I  rushed  through  the  library,  mounted 
the  central  staircase,  and  following  the  upper  flight 
reached  the  boat.  I  crept  through  the  opening,  which 
had  already  admitted  my  two  companions. 

**  Let  us  go!  let  us  go!"  I  exclaimed. 

**  Directly!"  replied  the  Canadian. 

The  orifice  in  the  plates  of  the  Nautilus  was  first  closed, 
and  fastened  down  by  means  of  a  false  key,  with  which 
Ned  Land  had  provided  himself;  the  opening  in  the  boat 
was  also  closed.  The  Canadian  began  to  loosen  the  bolt 
which  still  held  us  to  the  submarine  boat. 

Suddenly  a  noise  within  was  heard.  Voices  were  an- 
swering each  other  loudly.  What  Was  the  matter?  Had 
they  discovered  our  flight?  I  felt  Ned  Land  slipping  a 
dagger  into  my  hand. 

"  Yes,"  I  murmured,  *'  we  know  how  to  die." 

The  Canadian  had  stopped  in  his  work.  But  one  word 
many  times  repeated,  a  dreadful  word,  revealed  the  cause 
of  the  agitation  spreading  on  board  the  Nautilus.  It  was 
not  we  the  crew  were  looking  after. 

**  The  maelstrom!  the  maelstrom!"  I  exclaimed. 

T?he  maelstrom!  Could  a  more  dreadful  word  in  a  more 
dreadful  situation  have  sounded  in  our  ears!  We  were 
then  upon  the  dangerous  coast  of  Norway.  Was  the  Nau- 
tilus being  drawn  into  this  gulf  at  the  moment  our  boat 


20,000    LEAGUES    UKDER    THE    SEAS.  291 

was  going  to  leave  its  sides?  We  knew  that  at  the  tide 
the  pent-up  waters  between  the  islands  of  Faroe  and 
Loflioden  rush  with  irresistible  violence,  forming  a  whirl- 
pool from  which  no  vessel  ever  escapes.  From  every  point 
of  the  horizon  enormous  waves  were  meeting,  forming  a 
gulf  justly  called  the  "  Navel  of  the  Ocean,"  whose  power 
of  attraction  extends  to  a  distance  of  twelve  miles.  There, 
not  only  vessels,  but  whales,  are  sacrificed,  as  well  as  white 
bears  from  the  northern  regions. 

It  is  thither  that  the  Nautilus,  voluntarily  or  involun- 
tarily, had  been  run  by  the  captain. 

It  was  describing  a  spiral,  the  circumference  of  which 
was  lessened  by  degrees,  and  the  boat,  which  was  still 
fastened  to  its  sides,  was  carried  along  with  giddy  speed. 
1  felt  that  sickly  giddiness  which  arises  from  long  con- 
tinued whirling  round. 

We  were  in  dread.  Our  horror  was  at  its  height,  cir- 
culation had  stopped,  all  nervous  influence  was  annihilated, 
and  we  were  covered  with  cold  sweat,  like  a  sweat  of  agony! 
And  what  noise  around  our  frail  bark?  What  roarings 
repeated  by  the  echo  miles  away?  What  an  uproar  was 
that  of  the  waters  broken  on  the  sharp  rocks  at  the  bottom, 
where  the  hardest  bodies  are  crushed,  and  trees  worn  away, 
*'  with  all  the  fur  rubbed  off,"  according  to  the  Norwegian 
phrase. 

What  a  situation  to  be  in!  We  rocked  frightfully.  The 
Nautilus  defended  herself  like  a  human  being.  Its  steel 
muscles  cracked.  Sometimes  it  seemed  to  stand  upright, 
»nd  we  with  it! 

"  We  must  hold  on,"  said  Ned,  "  and  look  after  the 
bolts.  We  may  still  be  saved  if  we  stick  to  the  Nau- 
tilus  " 

He  had  not  finished  the  words,  when  we  heard  a  crash- 
ing noise,  the  bolts  gave  way,  and  the  boat,  torn  from  its 
groove,  was  hurled  like  a  stone  from  a  sling  into  the  midst 
of  the  whirlpool. 

My  head  struck  on  a  piece  of  iron,  and  with  the  violent 
shock  I  lost  all  consciousness. 


292  20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER    THE    SBAS. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

COKCLUSIOU". 

This  ends  the  voyage  under  the  seas.  What  passed 
dnring  that  night — how  the  boat  escaped  from  the  eddies 
of  the  maelstrom,  how  Ned  Land,  Conseil  and  myself  ever 
came  out  of  the  gulf — I  cannot  tell.  ^ 

But  when  I  returned  to  consciousness,  I  was  lying  in  a 
fisherman's  hut,  on  the  Loffoden  Isles.  My  two  com- 
panions, safe  and  sound,  were  near  me  holding  my  hands. 
We  embraced  each  other  heartily. 

At  that  moment  we  could  not  think  of  returning  to 
France.  The  means  of  communication  between  the 
north  of  Norway  and  the  south  are  rare,  and  I  am  there- 
fore obliged  to  wait  for  the  steamboat  running  monthly 
from  Cape  North. 

And  among  the  worthy  people  who  have  so  kindly  re- 
ceived us  I  revise  my  record  of  these  adventures  once  more. 
Not  a  fact  has  been  omitted,  not  a  detail  exaggerated.  It 
is  a  faithful  narrative  of  this  incredible  expedition  in  an 
element  inaccessible  to  man,  but  to  which  Progress  will 
one  day  open  a  road. 

Shall  I  be  believed?  I  do  not  know.  And  it  matters 
little,  after  all.  What  I  now  affirm  is,  that  I  have  a  right 
to  speak  of  these  seas,  under  which,  in  less  than  ten 
months,  I  have  crossed  20,000  leagues  in  that  submarine 
tour  of  the  world,  which  has  revealed  so  many  wonders. 

But  what  has  become  of  the  Nautilus?  Did  it  resist 
the  pressure  of  the  maelstrom?  Does  Captain  Nemo  still 
live?  And  does  he  still  follow  under  the  ocean  those 
frightful  retaliations?  Or  did  he  stop  after  that  last 
hecatomb? 

Will  the  waves  one  day  carry  to  him  this  manuscript 
containing  the  history  of  his  life?  Shall  I  ever  know  the 
name  of  this  man?  Will  the  missing  vessel  tell  us  by  its 
nationality  that  of  Captain  Nemo? 

I  hope  so.  And  I  also  hope  that  his  powerful  vessel  has 
conquered  the  sea  at  its  most  terrible  gulf,  and  that  the 
Nautilus  lias  survived  where  so  many  other  vessels  have 


20,000    LEAGUES    UNDER   THE    SEAS  293 

been  lost!  If  it  be  so,  if  Captain  Nemo  still  inhabits  the 
ocean,  his  adopted  country,  may  hatred  be  appeased  in 
that  savage  heart!  May  the  contemplation  of  so  many 
wonders  extinguish  forever  the  spirit  of  vengeance!  May 
the  judge  disappear,  and  the  philosopher  continue  the 
peaceful  exploration  of  the  sea!  If  his  destiny  be  strange, 
it  is  also  sublime.  Have  I  not  understood  it  myself?  Have 
I  not  lived  ten  months  of  this  unnatural  life?  And  to  the 
question  asked  by  Ecclesiastes  3,000  years  ago,  "  That 
which  is  far  off  and  exceeding  deep,  who  can  find  it  out?'' 
two  men  alone  of  all  now  living  have  the  right  to  give  an 
answer: 
Captain  Nemo  and  myself. 


THE  END. 


For  the  further  adventures  of  Captain  Nemo,  see  "  The 
Secret  of  the  Island,"  by  Jules  Verne.  Seaside 
Library,  No.  2146.    Price  25  cents. 


SOUTHERN  BE^  ParKing  Lot  17  1333 


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